Friendship with a Vampire
by Drake Dragonsoul
Summary: Rainbow Dash loved warm summer days. Whether flying across a clear blue sky, napping in an apple tree, or hanging out with her friends, she took it for granted that she'd always have those long summer days. Warning: Dark, but not utterly soul crushing.
1. First Bite: The Old Mansion in the Woods

Chapter 1

The Old Mansion in the Woods

Clouds zipped past as Rainbow Dash rocketed across the bright blue sky. The light blue pony soared up and hovered in front of the sun, looking down on the patchwork of buildings, grassland, and forest far below her. The rays warmed her back and wings as she cracked a smug smile.

The Pegasus gritted her teeth with determination. The usual stab of nervousness came as she prepared to try her new trick, but the thrill of excitement urged her forward. She whipped her head to the side, tossing her rainbow hair. A deep breath filled her lungs with cold air.

Wind howled around her, whipping her multi-colored mane and tail as she folded her legs in and dived. Focusing on the breeze around her, Rainbow Dash formed a spinning cone of wind around herself, not unlike the technique the Pegasus ponies used to clear away the snow at winter's end. The green expanse of the Everfree Forest canopy rushed towards her. She leveled off and skimmed the treetops. The whirlwind whipped the leaves from the trees and snapped twigs loose, leaving a trench in the growth.

She planned to draw a circular indention in the trees to start with and then try something more complex. However, her ego overtook her common sense. "Why not just go straight for the finale?" she thought.

Rainbow Dash attempted a sharp left turn, intending to draw a jagged lightning bolt design similar to her cutie mark. She often performed ninety-degree turns with ease, but she neglected the gale around her.

The counteracting wind caught her wings and threw the surprised pony through the air. Rainbow screamed as she tumbled uncontrollably. She fell into the trees, crashed through twigs and bounced off the solider branches.

"Ow!" her back struck the hard ground. The impact rattled through her entire body.

Laying flat a moment, she let the stars clear from her vision before moving. She groaned as she sat up. Her back ached and a sharp pain pierced the back of her skull. Bruises, cuts, and foliage covered her. Blood flowed from a stinging gash on her right check.

"Not my best landing," she thought, standing up and spreading her wings. Her back muscles burned in protest, but her limbs moved. They beat at the air and lifted her a few inches off the ground. Satisfied, Rainbow dropped back to the ground and took in her surroundings.

The strange trees blocked out the sun, leaving only small traces to filter through the leaves. Grass, moss, and lichen covered the ground with various thorns, ferns and bushes growing wherever they found space.

Rainbow stepped away from a recognizable blue flower. Her hind hoof landed on something hard and she turned around, expecting to find a boulder. Instead, a grey stone wall met her eyes. Vines crept up the wall to a window. Paint peeled from the window frame and small shards of broken glass lay around the ground. A wooden door stood open, ripped from its hinges.

"Cool," Rainbow Dash whispered. She stepped through the doorway, stumbling a bit when a sore leg buckled. Her hoof sank into a pile of charred, black debris, mixed with dead plant matter. "Eugh!"

The inside of the place looked torched. A crashed chandelier sank into the black earth. The walls still stood despite the fire, but the paintings and lamps fared worse. A splash of green from a fern growing here and there caught her eye. A staircase collapsed over the hallway. Rainbow Dash glanced right and saw a larger room. A dining table sat in the center. Cabinets full of silver bowls adorned the wall. Red paint still clung to the far wall where the fire damage seemed less severe. A smaller room to her right held the black skeletons of a couch and chair along with a decimated grandfather clock.

Who built a mansion in the middle of the Everfree Forest anyway? She glanced over her shoulder at the outside world. Nothing, but trees and darkness stretched out before her eyes, no sight of anything dangerous. Everypony feared the Everfree Forest, even Dash though she tried to deny it.

She spun her head around and narrowed her eyes. No way, the forest creeped out most ponies, but not Rainbow Dash! Marching over the wooden debris of the stairs, the Pegasus put on a steely expression, glancing into each room in the hall.

When she reached the back of the mansion, she came upon another long hallway. As she turned right, a thump sounded from the room above her. The rainbow pony jumped into the air and raised a leg to kick. Her heart thundered in her chest as she listened. Hoping the noise wasn't a sign of collapse; she walked back to the entrance and glanced at the top of the ruined stairs.

Her wings spread as she leapt for the second floor. A few beats propelled her the rest of the distance. He alighted on the floor and paused. Cinders ground under her hooves. Rainbow Dash crept toward the source of the noise, staying low to the ground. Floorboards creaked under her weight, but no other sounds reached her ears.

A charred door blocked the room at the end of the hall. She nudged it open and stepped inside. The blackened frame of a bed stood in the center of the room. Rainbow recoiled in horror as she spotted the figure lying upon it. A Pegasus skeleton rested upon the ash. The dead pony's limbs lay spread across the bed. The skull's jaw hung open in a silent scream. Rainbow stepped closer, cringing at the sight. As she walked to the bed corner, she noticed something odd about the pony's mouth. A pair of teeth stretched out into long pointed fangs.

"What the hay?" Rainbow recoiled from the bedside. Her hooves landed in a particularly large pile of ash.

A drop of blood trickled down her cheek and splashed on the floor. The ash began pulling together around the drop of red, soaking it up. A light grey mist exploded around Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus pony gasped, before breaking into coughs. The cloud concentrated on her cuts, making them itch. Her eyes stung with tears.

Rainbow Dash stumbled out of the cloud and hacked ash out of her lungs. Grey dulled her blue coat for a moment before the dust floated off and rejoined the cloud. The soreness and the tears made her vision watery, but she saw a four-legged shape forming within the ash.

A wrinkled hairless pony stepped forward. Red and black eyes burned from within sockets surrounded by loose grey flesh. A horn jutted from the pony's bald head. The pony shambled forward on skeletal legs. Its mouth hung open, baring a set of fangs. A haggard wheeze echoed from the creature's mouth, spraying a cloud of smoke into the air.

Rainbow Dash screamed and spun around. She galloped down the hall at full speed. Her sore leg ached in protest, but did little otherwise to slow her down. The air behind her whooshed and a set of jaws closed on her tail and pulled her back. Rainbow stopped and raised a hind leg, glancing back and taking aim. The creature released her tail and stepped back, dodging her kick. Her wild attack threw her off balance.

It leapt forward and landed on Rainbow's back. Its front legs wrapped around her neck. She bucked under its weight, but it clung to her with frightening strength. Its hot breath blew over the side of her neck and then those horrible fangs sank into her throat.

Pain and cold spread through her body. She tried to struggle, but the grey pony hung on and bit harder. Rainbow Dash's legs buckled beneath her and she fell to the ground as her sensations faded. She felt wetness trickling down her neck, more blood gushed out as the pony sloppily adjusted its grip on her throat. She tried to kick, but her legs just twitched. She tried to fly, but her wings just fluttered. Soon, the cold drowned out every other feeling, except for the gentle prod of the fangs in her throat. The Unicorn pony grunted as it sucked at her neck. Rainbow's head thunked against the floor. Her wings stilled and the steady rise of her flank slowed and then stopped.

Her attacker growled and released her neck. It stood up and stumbled forward. The old grey flesh bulged out, becoming less emaciated as the wrinkles disappeared and dark purple fur spread over its body. Nostrils flared as it sniffed the air. A ravenous growl rumbled from its throat, not yet satisfied from its recent meal.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Rainbow asked. She floated in the midst of a black void, white stars and purple and red mists decorated the otherwise empty plane. Her hooves stood on nothing and her wings lay flat, but she stayed afloat and upright all the same. She felt small and unwelcome amongst the splendor.<p>

A bright golden light surged to life and blinded the surprised Pegasus. She placed a hoof over her eyes and looked away. A moment passed as her eyes adjusted to the light. The source of the brightness sank into a purple mist. A winged pony stood against the vanishing light, a long horn extended from its forehead. The silhouetted figured stepped back into the glowing ether.

"Wait! Where are you going? Where am I?" Rainbow Dash flew forward, only for the horizon to stretch away from her. She increased her speed, but the sunlight vanished behind the clouds. Rainbow spun around as the stars and clouds began to blink out. Soon, only the darkness surrounded her.

A ring of fire burst to life around her. Rainbow shied away from the heat, the orange glow hurt her eyes and the smoke choked her lungs. The crackling flames closed in as Rainbow retreated to the circle's center.

"That's it, I'm out of here!" she launched herself upwards, wings beating at the void. The fire shrank to a small point beneath her.

A plume of red and orange surged after her. A snout formed from the blaze, a gaping mouth and burning eyes opened, questing after the rainbow pony. A fiery mane flapped in the still void. It reached her in seconds, the heat licked at Rainbow Dash's body as the burning stallion opened its mouth. She screamed as the jaws closed around her, drowning her in burning agony.

* * *

><p>"Aaaaahhhhh!" Hooves scrabbled across the floor as she awoke. Her wings thrashed and bumped against the wall. Terrified eyes scanned her surroundings. Darkness covered the mansion, with rays of faint moonlight piercing through holes in the roof.<p>

Rainbow Dash appeared to be alone, just her and an empty, crumbling house. Her stomach ached and her teeth felt uncomfortable. A haze fell over her mind as she tried to think. She recognized the Everfree forest outside a window. She remembered exploring the house and then something startling her, but past that point, everything blanked out.

She placed a hoof against her neck and it came away smeared in a sticky, red liquid. The crash had left several cuts, but they were gone. No bruises or aches, only the growling in her stomach gnawed at her. Her tongue absently licked at her hoof and her mouth lighted up. The sweet copper taste blew away everything she ever sampled before. She fought off a moan of delight.

Craning her neck, Rainbow tried to reach the splotch on her throat and lap up more of the delicious liquid. She licked off her front and then turned to look for more cuts. She found none and her appetite still lingered.

The Pegasus's wings spread and she flew down the hall and out the doorway. A trail of color rose through the trees and into the night sky. She spun around, regaining her bearings and spotting the glowing lights of Ponyville against the dark countryside. A grin bared her new, pointed fangs. Her wings swept her back towards home.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I cannot believe I'm even writing this thing. If someone had told me, I'd someday try writing a My Little Pony fic when I was first starting out, I probably would have laughed in their face. If they told me, I'd be doing vampires and My Little Pony I'd have made some crack about checking them into an asylum.<p> 


	2. First Bite: Thirst

Chapter 2

Thirst

Rainbow Dash's stomach growled as she cleared the forest and flew over Ponyville. Her toothache had abated after her light snack, but her hunger seemed to linger on and grow worse. She grounded her jaws together in frustration.

The night air felt strangely hot. The full moon glowed brilliant white in the clear night sky. Bright stars dotted the blackness and reminded Rainbow for a moment of her nightmare. She dwelled on it for a few seconds, before she noticed something strange.

The weather plan for that night called for more clouds, they would be rolling in and then raining for the next few days. Rainbow found it odd that plans had changed on such short notice. Scanning the sky, she spotted a light grey Pegasus soaring low over the village. She swooped down to intercept the blonde pony.

Derpy Hooves yelped as the blue blur dropped down in front of her. She pulled to a stop and hovered, craning her head to get a good look at the figure in front of her. The vibrant colors of her mane always made it easier for Derpy to identify Rainbow and she smiled when she recognized the senior weather pony.

"Rainbow Dash!" Derpy exclaimed. "I'm glad I found you. Everyone's been so worried!"

"Why? I've only been gone since this afternoon," she frowned, sensing some kind of trouble beyond her short disappearance. Her stomach turned.

"Junebug was attacked by something!" the grey Pegasus glanced down and positioned her hooves on the rooftop below her. She folded her wings and looked back up. "I only heard this second-hoof at the town meeting, but Lyra and Bon Bon found her. They seemed shaken up; they said there was blood everywhere! Nurse Redheart says Junebug is in bad shape."

Rainbow Dash blinked. The confusion and light-headedness from before returned as Derpy finished her rushed account. Emotions raced through her, chief among them fear and that intolerable hunger. She tried to stay focused on the problem at hoof. She'd eat later. "Am I the only one missing?"

Derpy nodded, her mane flopping with the motion. "Where were you? We checked your house and all your favorite nap spots. Your friends are all worried about you."

She rambled on; the rapid questions agitated Rainbow Dash farther. Derpy's soft, boyish voice sounded deafening to her ears. She thought she smelled Derpy's fear in the air. Something else, too, attracted the attention of her nose. The same tangy flavor of copper she enjoyed in the mansion wafted from Derpy.

"…better go tell everyone you're all right."

Rainbow Dash alighted on the roof's edge and stepped towards Derpy, staring at the Pegasus with glazed eyes. The grey pony stepped back and froze, finding it impossible to break eye contact with her.

"There's something… weird about your eyes…" Derpy found it hard to think in the face of Dash's gaze. Her discomfort grew as the blue Pegasus closed in on her and stopped to stare from a few inches away. Rainbow's face expressed nothing, save dull animal hunger. Rainbow sniffed at the blonde pony's neck and parted her jaws. A thin trail of drool fell from her mouth unto Derpy's fur. The grey Pegasus tried to fly, but found her body locked in place. She whimpered as she saw the fangs protruding past Rainbow's lips. "Please don't- Gah!"

Teeth pierced Derpy's neck and Rainbow Dash moaned as blood poured into her mouth. She sucked hard on the wound, voicing several loud snorts. Derpy snapped out of her trance and tried to push Dash away, but now a different kind of paralysis struck. Cold spread through her body as she managed a few weak kicks to Rainbow's chest. Derpy flailed her hooves as Rainbow eased her onto her back, never removing her fangs. Pinned under the muscular pony's weight, Derpy struggled helplessly. She mumbled a desperate plea. "Help! Somepony… Anypony…"

Nopony heard her. The mayor had advised everypony to stay in their homes for the night. Only a few banded together to find Rainbow Dash or track down Junebug's attacker. Derpy wished she hadn't gone out to join the search after tucking her daughter into bed. Tears welled up in the Pegasus' golden eyes.

Rainbow's head cleared as her stomach filled. She continued to suck contently, eyes closed, not thinking about her actions. Nothing concerned her, except that wonderful sensation on her tongue! With a sigh, she finished and withdrew her fangs. She savored the taste a moment longer before her eyes opened.

The Pegasus recoiled in horror. Derpy's body lay on the roof, trickles of blood flowing from her neck. Golden eyes stared open in lifeless horror. Not grasping fully what had happened, Rainbow Dash looked for some other attacker. Specks of blood flew from her muzzle as her head whipped around. Rainbow froze and drew her tongue across her lips. The taste overpowered her for a moment, then she spat. Content became repulsion and panic, she tried coughing up the blood, but her stomach stayed uncomfortably full.

"Derpy! Derpy!" she turned back to the grey Pegasus and nosed at her body. Cold flesh bumped under her nudges. Her front hooves soaked in a puddle of blood. She held her muzzle in front of Derpy's, hoping to feel a weak breath blow across her nose. Rainbow's tail drooped and tears formed in her eyes. "Oh, Derpy… what have I done?"

She sniffled as she stepped away. Her thoughts turned to fear of being discovered, covered in blood and standing over a dead body. Rainbow Dash leapt into the air and beat her wings hard. She startled a male Pegasus as she zipped past him. He yelled something after her, but Rainbow disappeared into a cloudbank, before he could recognize or follow her. She pushed through the dark, fluffy mass with her legs, more swimming than flying.

Pulling herself atop the cloud, she lay down and caught her breath. She looked around and found herself alone. The cloudscape formed hills around her and stretched a good distance, so that Rainbow saw nothing of the ground except the distant mountains and topmost spires of Canterlot. She stared at the peaks in shocked silence, time seemed nonexistent and she could not tell how long she stayed there.

The smell of blood snapped her from her stupor. She peered down at the liquid covering her throat, chest, and hooves. She wanted to curl up and just lie there forever.

Feeling lost and helpless like never before, Rainbow tried to remember what happened, but she only recalled meeting Derpy, then a pleasant bliss. Her thoughts became more confused the longer she breathed in the fragrant scent. The blood scared the rational part of her mind, it represented death, but to her new primal side it represented the promise of prey and nourishment. She craved the taste more than the moistness of cake, or the sweet tang of apple cider.

Shuddering, she stood back up and opened her wings. She flew to the cloud's edge, stopping to check for nearby Pegasus. Spotting none, she took off.

A small creek bubbled through a sheltered patch of trees on Ponyville's outskirts. Rainbow sometimes rested in the tree branches and let the trickling water lull her to sleep. She spotted it from the air in a few seconds and dived down to it just as quick.

She circled around the trees and dropped into the stream. Her hooves splashed in the shallow water. She gasped and shuddered as cold spread up her legs. She took a drink of the icy liquid, washing out her mouth. Sticking her muzzle back in, she let the current clean the blood off her face.

"Rainbow Dash?" a shrill female voice exclaimed.

The Pegasus jumped and slipped on a slick stone. She fell sideways into the water, panicked, and splashed about in six inches of water. Rolling back to her feet, she looked up, her eyes hollow and her mane dripping wet. Two ponies stood on the bank.

"Where have you been?" the pink Earth pony asked. Her loud and worried tone sounded like screaming to Dash's sensitive ears. She stood on her hind legs and spread her forelimbs wide. "We looked everywhere for you!"

Pinkie Pie stepped forward. A light yellow Pegasus with long pink hair peered around from behind her. Fluttershy relaxed when she saw the pony they found was indeed Rainbow Dash. She frowned at the soaking wet pony in concern, noticing her agitated state quicker than Pinkie.

"Don't come any closer!" Rainbow Dash scrambled back as her friends approached her. Her wings spread, ready to carry her away.

"It's just us, Rainbow," Fluttershy said in her calm, maternal tone. She hovered over Pinkie and towards the soaked pony, moving slow so as not to startle her into flight. A scent caught her nose and she halted. The pink party pony missed the smell of blood in the air, but Fluttershy dealt with wounded animals frequently and could identify it with ease. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Blood still stained Rainbow's neck, but the darkness cloaked the splotch from the two ponies' concerned eyes.

"I'm… fine," her voice choked and tears welled up again.

"What happened?" Pinkie Pie asked. Her voice lowered to a concerned whisper.

"I… I did something terrible," Rainbow Dash muttered quietly. The crushing despair and guilt returned as she recalled the details of the attack. Her new instincts warned her not to tell her friends anything. She needed to keep everything secret and find a place to hide. What rationale she retained also warned her against saying more.

She imagined the horrified reactions of the pair if she revealed her secret. They might ran screaming into the night, or assume she had lost her mind. Maybe madness had already taken hold of her.

Fluttershy stared at Pinkie Pie. They knew Rainbow Dash as a brave and loyal pony, seeing her like this worried both of them. Fluttershy determined to do something.

She flew over to Rainbow and nudged the dazed pony's cheek. Whispering gentle words of encouragement, she guided her charge out of the cold stream. The blue pony shivered, the night air felt colder with her hair soaked.

"Pinkie, go and tell the others we found Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said. "I'm taking her back to my cottage."

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to protest, but Pinkie galloped off towards Ponyville. The two Pegasus stood alone in the secluded stretch of trees. Not trusting herself alone with another pony, Rainbow Dash turned to walk away, but Fluttershy cut her off and nudged her in the direction of her cottage.

"Let me go, Fluttershy!" she shouted. "I'm fine! I need some time by myself. That's all."

"No, you could get hurt by yourself," The yellow Pegasus landed next to her and pressed her flank against hers in reassurance. She radiated a strength of will that Rainbow Dash rarely saw in her. It calmed the frightened Pegasus into folding her wings. Beneath her shy exterior, Fluttershy possessed the courage to calm the deadliest beasts in all Equestria.

They headed downstream. The creek wound around Ponyville's outskirts and the border of the Everfree Forest. It ran past Fluttershy's home, where it widened. An earth bridge curved over the river. Lily pads floated in the water. Animal nests filled the trees around the cottage. Several birdhouses hung from a small sapling and animal burrows dotted the lawn. The cottage seemed almost to grow out of the ground. The walls were the color of pale dust and the roof made of green leaves. Several more birdhouses hung from the building.

Fluttershy led Rainbow Dash inside. Cages and small animal houses stood around the room with small stairs so the little creatures could reach them with ease. A stone stove stood in the right corner. The wooden floor shown with green paint, while the walls were stained dark brown. A reddish brown rug sat in the middle of the floor. Fluttershy hovered up and turned on the oil lamp hanging from the ceiling.

"Gah!" Rainbow Dash turned her head away from the light. She blinked her eyes open, letting them adjusted to the brightness. Fluttershy stared at her

"I'm sorry. Your eyes aren't hurt, are they?" the yellow mare asked, afraid she had unintentionally harmed her patient.

The blue Pegasus shook her head. Everything seemed harsher under the flickering light. Fluttershy landed and took a close look at Rainbow's chest. She found no injuries as she looked over the pony's body. Taking a close look at Rainbow's dark pink eyes, she noticed nothing wrong with them.

"Stay here, I'll go run some warm water for you," she turned and flew out of the room.

Mice peeked out from their holes and a bird squawked in its cage. The brightness had disturbed the creatures' slumber. Fluttershy's pet rabbit hopped into the room and rubbed his sleepy eyes. Angel looked at Rainbow Dash and then stamped his foot against the floor. Squawks and chirps exploded from the animals. The noise penetrated Dash's eardrums; she dropped to the floor and clamped her hooves against her head.

"Be quiet!" she shouted.

At once, the animals fell silent. Rainbow slowly uncovered her ears and glanced around. Tiny, unblinking eyes stared at her. Amazed by the creatures' obedience, she stared around, dumbfounded for a moment.

"Go back to sleep," Rainbow Dash panted, her shattered nerves drained at her physical strength. Her ears still rang from the din.

The animals reacted at once. Mice and squirrels turned together and disappeared into their holes. The birds placed their heads under their wings. Angel ignored the command and glared at her. Rainbow returned the stare and urged the rabbit to leave in her mind. Her eyes glazed over and her pupils shrank, her dark pink eyes turned bright red. The rabbit trembled, then turned and hopped out of the room. She blinked and her eyes returned to normal.

The splashing upstairs stopped and she heard Fluttershy's hoof clops on the stairs. She turned the corner back into the room and glanced over her animals. "Is something wrong? I heard the-."

"No, everything's all right," Rainbow said.

"Okay, the bath's ready," Fluttershy nodded towards the stairs.

"You know, I can just go back to my place," the blue pony said. She felt detached from everything happening around her. Nothing seemed real anymore. "I'm feeling a lot better now."

Fluttershy gasped and rushed over to her. "You can't go! It's dangerous out there! I know you're not afraid, but I am. I'd feel a lot safer if you stayed here."

She smiled at Rainbow Dash, who realized Fluttershy was worried more for Rainbow's safety than her own. Her claim of fear was just a way to get the hardheaded pony to stay without loosing face.

"All right," Rainbow Dash said. She felt more coherent with her stomach full and figured Fluttershy might be safer with her there after all. "I'll stay long enough to get cleaned off."

The yellow Pegasus nodded. They trudged up the steps, then down a short brown hallway to the bathroom. Pale yellow walls enclosed the room. Clear water sat in the porcelain tub. Rainbow climbed in and sighed as the warmth soaked into her wet hair. Fluttershy grabbed a bottle of shampoo from the tub's side and squeezed the contents into one hoof. She rubbed it into Rainbow's fur, before grabbing a washcloth to rub the blood out. Soon wisps of red floated in the bathwater and Rainbow was drying herself with a butterfly-patterned towel.

"You look tired, are you sure you won't stay the night?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash grunted. The combination of the hot bath and her shot nerves had indeed exhausted her. She nodded and dropped the towel from her hooves. Fluttershy led her to the guest bedroom.

The blue Pegasus peered around the room. Like downstairs, green wood covered the floor. The bed was made of blue wood with a brown and tan blanket thrown over it. Diamond shapes and butterflies dotted the sheets. An unlit fireplace stood in the corner. Soft snores whistled from the birdhouses and straw nests overhead in the rafters. An empty table sat to the right of the fireplace. A table stood next to the bed, a dark lantern atop it.

"Thanks, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said.

"You're welcome," Fluttershy replied as her friend walked to the bed and slipped under the covers. It surprised her how well Rainbow found her way in the dark. Not giving it much thought, she turned and left the room, whispering. "Good night."

Despite her exhaustion, sleep came slowly. When her eyes closed at last, she dreamt of fire, and blood, and gleaming white fangs. Several times, her anguished howls woke Fluttershy up. She woke Rainbow Dash once and tried asking her about her nightmares, but Dash sent her away.

"I'm fine, Fluttershy," her voice cracked from stress. Her tone became defensive. "Maybe it's one of your animals howling."

"Maybe... Sorry, I woke you up," Fluttershy retreated from the room, acting like her timid and reserved self again. As she walked back to her room, she thought about Rainbow Dash's words. It had sounded more like some kind of animal howling, than a scream anypony might make.

Fluttershy locked the door to her bedroom, before going back to sleep. Soon, the screaming began again. The yellow pony whimpered and place a pillow over her head.


	3. First Bite: Going Outside

Chapter 3

Going Outside

Rainbow Dash awoke slowly. Her eyes peeked open and stared at the brown diamond-and-butterfly pattern bedspread below her. The rug sat halfway under the bed with the green floor around it. Her half-asleep mind figured she was still dreaming.

Glancing down (or rather up), she saw her rear hooves rested on the beam that ran above the bed. Her wings folded tight against her sides, her front legs she held against her chest. Her rainbow mane hung down around her head. She craned her neck sideways, a bat hung from the rafter next to her. Her eyes widened as she felt the texture of the wood under her hooves and the scent of Fluttershy's animals filled her nose. No dream ever seemed this real.

"Yaaahhhh!" her strange hold on the wood failed and she tumbled headfirst onto the bed's side. She rolled off and landed in a tangle of limbs in front of the window. The bat flew off into the house, squeaking in fright. Groaning, the Pegasus rolled upright and sat there.

Her heart thundered in her chest as Rainbow Dash looked around. The light from the window warmed her to an uncomfortable degree. Turning around, she saw the overcast grey sky, no sun visible through the white haze. She clambered overtop of the bed and lay atop the covers, cooling down. Her head turned toward the window, the white glow irritated her eyes and she quickly looked away.

Everything seemed different. The sights, smells, and sounds grabbed her senses and overwhelmed them. Fluttershy's hooves clopped across the floor downstairs. The startled bat came to rest somewhere at the end of the hallway. The scent of carrots wafted up from the stove downstairs. She even detected the faint scent of the shampoo from last night in her hair.

She stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore everything her ears and nose told her. The young mare wanted last night to be a dream, but she lay here in Fluttershy's bed, sensing things beyond the scope of normal ponies. Rainbow stood up and reached for the beam with her front legs. She hesitated, afraid to hang from the ceiling and confirm everything was real.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy stood in the door. Dark bags formed under the mare's blue eyes. "I heard a crash."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rainbow replied, flopping back down on the mattress. "I just… fell out of bed."

"I've got breakfast ready downstairs," Fluttershy said. "You must be hungry. Did you get anything to eat last night?"

"No!" Rainbow shook her head. Her eyes closed and she gritted her teeth as she flashed back to the events of last night. The mention of food made her stomach tighten. She didn't feel hungry yet, but the fullness of last night had faded. Fluttershy shrunk away. "Yeah, I'll stay for breakfast, I guess."

"Okay," Fluttershy nodded and retreated downstairs.

Rainbow sat up and placed her head in her hooves. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. When her heartbeat slowed to a normal pace, she slid off the bed and headed downstairs.

Fluttershy had set two bowls of carrots on the small table downstairs next to the stone stove. Rainbow trotted over to the table and sniffed at the steaming bowl. The smell of fresh vegetables perked her up a bit. She stuffed her muzzle into the sliced roots and began chewing.

"I guess you really were hungry," Fluttershy commented. She nibbled at her own meal with more refinement.

"Uh-huh," she grunted through a mouthful of vegetable matter. Her stomach soon filled, though she only managed to eat half of her carrots. Just to be safe, Rainbow forced herself to eat a few more bites.

"Is everything okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yep, you aren't a bad cook," Rainbow replied.

"Oh, thank you," Fluttershy said softly. Her concerned blue eyes locked with Rainbow's gaze. "But what I meant was 'are you okay?'"

With a nervous gulp, she glanced down at her uneaten carrots and spoke more to them than her friend. "I don't know. Something strange is happening to me, Fluttershy. I'm so… scared and confused."

The yellow mare nodded, recalling the chilling howls from the previous night. She said nothing, but gave Rainbow a gentle, encouraging smile. Talking about her emotions seemed odd to Dash. She kept up an air of confidence at all times. It wasn't that she tried to hide her feelings, rather her more sensitive and emotional side took a backseat to something more important, her pride. She boasted of her triumphs to anyone, but when her courage drained away, she retreated inward and avoided everyone, or else tried even harder next time.

Being alone scared her now. She wanted to talk to somepony, to tell them what had happened, and ask what she should do now. She needed a smart pony, someone with forethought and understanding.

"I need to talk to Twilight," Rainbow said aloud. The wise, young unicorn might know something about her condition. She stood up and flew towards the door. Her stomach rumbled uneasily.

"Wait…" Fluttershy raced to follow her, but an arc of colors already marked the path of Rainbow's escape. She dropped onto the doorstep and flattened her ears against her head. She hoped Twilight could help Rainbow better than her.

* * *

><p>Rainbow's stomach ached again, not from hunger, but eating too much she imagined. The sunlight diluted through the clouds, yet she still sweated. Her muscles grew tired quickly, so she slowed her pace. Spotting a low altitude cloud, Rainbow dropped onto it.<p>

Her queasy stomach lurched and she leaned over and retched on the cloud. Her entire breakfast washed back up on a tide of sickly red. Orange mush stood out against the blood, very much undigested. Rainbow knew she would never be able to eat carrots again. She scraped a covering of gray mist over her vomit, burying it in the cloud. A faint pang of hunger seized her belly.

"Hey, Boss!"

Rainbow Dash bolted into the air and spun around. A white Pegasus pony hovered next to her cloud platform, staring up at her. Her blue and yellow mane stood out in spikes and a patch of hair fell over her left eye. A black cloud decorated her flank, a small shower of raindrops falling from it.

"Downpour!" she exclaimed, hovering down to the white pony. "What are you doing?"

"Just saying 'Hi!'" The young Pegasus laughed. Rainbow's ears pressed flat against her head at the sound. "But I also got everypony up and we're setting up for the rain storm."

She gestured wide with a front leg. Sweeping her eyes across the sky, Rainbow spotted several Pegasi plugging up holes in the mass of gray clouds. It amazed her that they had managed to cover the sky so quickly after seeing last night's clearness. Downpour must have gotten everyone up early, or perhaps Rainbow had slept in later than she thought.

"Good work," Rainbow Dash complimented her begrudgingly. Downpour made no secret of the fact she wanted Rainbow's position as weather manager. The young pony possessed a natural ability with the wind and clouds, along with a fiery personality, though some thought she was a little too overbearing. Rainbow wondered how many Pegasus the bubbly white pony had awakened early. No doubt, they were grumbling amongst themselves out of earshot. "You should have waited for me, though."

"Oh, I heard you had a bit of a night," she replied. "Figured you could use one of your morning naps."

"Right…" the blue mare nodded. "What did you hear exactly?"

"Just that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy found you at the stream," Downpour replied. She narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash. "Pinkie said you looked kind of shaken up. Did you see the thing that got Junebug?"

"No, I didn't," Dash replied. She hesitated to ask about Derpy afraid further questions might arouse suspicion. "Is there any news on Junebug?"

News traveled fast in Ponyville. Everypony knew everypony else like in any small town. You had only to spend an afternoon in a coffee shop or diner to get connected with all of the current events.

"Well, she needed a lot of blood, but the doctors say she's going to pull through," Downpour said. "Do you have any idea what could have attacked her?"

"Why ask me?"

"Well, I figure this thing probably came from the Everfree forest and you've been in there more than any other pony I know," she replied.

"You probably know more about it at this point than me," Rainbow turned to leave.

"Maybe your pal Twilight knows something about it," Downpour wondered.

"I'm on my way to talk to her, I'll see if she's figured something out," the blue Pegasus shot off across the sky again. She moved slowly, cursing her fatigue. The air sweltered and everything seemed so bright.

With her eyes pinched almost shut, Rainbow turned and headed for her cloud house. Her home floated outside of Ponyville, like Fluttershy, she valued her solitude. It shone a pristine white against the otherwise dull sky. Streams of rainbow flowed from the cloud platforms that formed her yard. The colorful liquid dropped halfway to the ground before it faded into the air. Thin white pillars rose from the clouds. The house itself was thin and circular, resembling a tower.

Rainbow Dash swooped inside and went to her closet. Relief washed over her as she stood in the dark room. She pulled a black hoodie off its hanger and slipped it on. Her wings pushed out of the sides and she pulled the hood up over her head. She retrieved a pair of sunglasses from her dresser and slid them on.

When she stepped outside again, the sunglasses protected her eyes and the coat shielded part of her back from the sunlight. Her bare flank still hurt and she thought about going back inside to grab something to wear over it. She had a small collection of dresses, but most were gifts from Rarity, not the sort of thing one wore around town with a hoodie and sunglasses.

She dived off the clouds and soared towards Ponyville. She paid more attention to the rooftops and streets than the sky in front of her. Twilight might not be home at this hour, she could be out buying parchment and ink or something. She also feared she would spot Derpy's body still lying on a roof. In the darkness and confusion of the other night, she had forgotten where the attack happened. She remembered the general area, but not the exact building.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!"

Glancing around, she spotted the voice's owner. A lavender unicorn stood in the marketplace, looking up at her. A pink and purple streak ran through her dark indigo mane and tail. A blonde, light orange pony stood next to her, a light brown cowboy hat perched on her head.

Rainbow Dash landed in front of the pair. They stepped closer to her, relieved to see her flying about. Their smiles disappeared when they saw her nervous and drained expression.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked. "We were just on our way to Fluttershy's to check up on you."

"I need to talk to you, Twilight," Rainbow said. She cast a blank glance at Applejack.

The orange pony scanned the empty marketplace. Most of the stalls stood abandoned and only a few ponies browsed the stands. Last night's attack and the approaching stormy weather kept almost everypony inside.

"I guess we can go back to the library," Twilight suggested.

Applejack's gaze returned to the blue pony. She narrowed her eyes, a frown on her face. "I guess I'll go back to the orchard and make sure the preparations for the storm are done."

The urge to cut her off overtook Rainbow Dash for a moment, but she let the orange mare walk away. She'd never withheld information from Applejack before, she had no idea how the Element of Honesty might react to having a secret like this kept from her. Rainbow supposed it mattered little. Horror could be the only reaction, still the thought that one of her friends could find out some other way disturbed her.

"Good luck," Rainbow called after the pony had turned a corner and vanished from sight. She turned to the side, afraid Twilight had vanished, too.

The lavender pony stood alongside her. She nodded her head and trotted towards the library. Rainbow Dash trudged along beside her. Twilight stole several sideways glances at her. Her head bowed downward, keeping her face out of the light, her wings clamped tight to her sides, when normally she would be hovering above with mirth. Dash saw her looking and tried to smile, managing a sad half-grin.

The silent, uncomfortable walk lasted just a few minutes. They approached the giant tree that housed the Ponyville Library. It had at least one story on the buildings around it. Despite its hollowness, green leaves still covered the branches. Windows peeked through gaps in the foliage. A sign planted in the dirt out front showed an open book. The red door called to Rainbow's mind images of blood dripping over wood. She banished the thought and focused instead on the image of a white candle on the scarlet wood.

Twilight's horn glowed purple and the same soft glow covered the door. It pushed open and the pair of ponies stepped inside. The latch clicked closed behind them. The inside had been hollowed out long before either pony's birth. The floor resembled the top of a stump; Pinkie had once tried counting its rings to find the tree's age. Bookshelves covered every wall. A ladder leaned against the leftmost shelf. A table stood in the center of the room, a carved horse's head sitting proud atop it. Stairs led up the side of the tree to the other rooms and the balconies.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about, Dash?" Twilight turned to her.

Rainbow exhaled a long sigh. Now that they were alone, she could not decide how to begin. "You know how I disappeared yesterday? I went up over the Everfree forest to practice a new trick."

Twilight arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I know," Rainbow pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. She blinked her eyes at the room. The windows lit it much better than she thought. "But anywhere else I would have ponies complaining about me vandalizing the plant life. Besides, I figured it'd be safe if I stayed above the place. Boy, was that stupid. Anyway, I found some old ruins down there…" She paused as she came to the first blank spot in her memory.

"What are you getting at, Rainbow?" the unicorn stepped toward her. "If you know something about the attacks, you have to tell me. Right now, we don't have any leads."

Tears welled up in the Pegasus' pink eyes. She sniffled and shook her head, flinging the droplets from her cheeks. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when no sounds came out.

A loud crash sounded at the door, startling them. Rainbow Dash jumped into the air, ready to fly off, never mind that no window stood ajar to let her. Twilight recovered from her surprise quicker and walked toward the door.

"I better get that, it might be Spike back with the ink and parchment," she said. The door shone purple and pulled open. Twilight looked outside. "Oh. Hi, Derpy."

Rainbow's eyes flew open wide. She dashed to the doorway and hovered over the unicorn. There, on the front step, legs splayed wide from her crash and head swirling in tune with the imaginary stars over her blonde head, sat Derpy Hooves. A mess of white envelopes scattered around her, one of them rested on the grey Pegasus' head. Her brown mailbag hung at her side. She held three envelopes clenched tight in her mouth.

"Sowwy bout dat," she mumbled through the papers. She raised her muzzle to Twilight. "Ere's yor mail."

Rainbow Dash stared aghast at the cross-eyed pony. She couldn't believe it, but there was no mistake. Somehow, Derpy lay there alive and well. Relieved tears flooded Rainbow's eyes.


	4. First Bite: Fine and Derpy

Chapter 4

Fine and Derpy

Derpy flapped her wings and hopped upright. Her hooves touched the stone for a second before Dash tackled her. Another cloud of letters flew skyward. The impact hurt a little less than her collision with the door. Rainbow pulled the grey pony into a bone-crushing hug.

"I can't believe it's really you!" the blue Pegasus sobbed. Warm tears dripped onto Derpy's shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm delivering the mail," she replied confused by Rainbow's behavior. Normally, she kept a fearful distance from the accident prone Pegasus.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at them. Her mail floated next to her, snatched out of the air when Rainbow Dash's enthusiastic hug knocked it from Derpy's maw. Her friend's sudden mood change at the mail pony's arrival puzzled her.

Rainbow Dash broke her hug and looked over Derpy. Sweat dripped from her forehead and she looked tired, but no gaping wound covered her neck. She removed her hooves from Derpy's shoulders. A frown formed on her muzzle.

"Do you remember… talking to me at all last night?" Rainbow asked.

The grey mare shook her head, sending a stray letter falling out of her hair. "Nope, I tucked Dinky into bed, and then I guess I got a midnight snack and fell asleep on the couch."

"You didn't go outside at all?"

Derpy pursed her lips in thought. Her eyes stared off into space, before one returned to Rainbow and the other focused elsewhere. "Nope!"

The blue Pegasus stared at her in stunned silence. The past few hours seemed like a waking nightmare, but now Rainbow felt she was in a dream, an unbelievable dream. Derpy stood in front of her, a phantom too realistic to dismiss. Last night and this morning seemed like two different worlds. An irrational urge to grab the cross-eyed pony and shake the truth out of her griped Rainbow.

"Are you okay, Rainbow?" Twilight Sparkle asked. She stepped onto the doorstep and stood next to her friend.

Her mane trashed as she shook her head, not answering the question, but trying to clear the cobwebs. She glanced at Derpy Hooves' puzzled and concerned face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," her voice brightened. Euphoria replaced all the terror and guilt. She managed a real smile as she dismissed all of last night as a very realistic nightmare. "Everything's fine."

That smile scared Twilight. She didn't understand the cause of the sinking feeling in her gut, perhaps the sudden shift in Rainbow's mood, perhaps the brief glimpse of pointed teeth in her maw. The smirk vanished in an instant when Rainbow noticed the lavender unicorn's unease.

Derpy missed the grin as she had stooped to pick up her mail. She stuffed the disorderly mess of envelopes into her shoulder bag. She paused, then pulled out a single white envelope and offered it to Rainbow. She took the letter and stuffed it into her hoodie without bothering to examine it.

"See ya later!" Derpy chirped merrily. She flew towards the next house, looping through the air more like an insect than a Pegasus.

Dash's heart swelled with happiness as she watched the grey pony leave. Her prior worries left her mind, dismissing everything as a dream or hallucination. Some weed in the Everfree forest probably caused the whole thing. After all, if a flower could mess up her wings, the same could certainly happen to her head.

"Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" Twilight asked.

A frown spread over the Pegasus' muzzle. She couldn't admit why she had sought out Twilight now. She considered booking it out of there, but then Twilight would catch up with her later and ask again. Sensing the lengthening awkward silence, Rainbow turned to face her, her mind grasping for a plausible excuse.

"I… need your help with a new trick," Rainbow Dash spoke slowly. "Yeah, my new move needs the bugs worked out of it and some unicorn magic would really go a long way."

Twilight's annoyed stare clued her into the effectiveness of this lie. The unicorn inhaled, warming up for a lecture.

"Okay!" Rainbow cut her off. She looked the unicorn right in the eye. A look of surprise appeared on Twilight's face, than her face muscles slackened and she lost herself in the bright red depths of Rainbow's eyes. "I thought I remembered seeing something strange last night, but now I'm sure it was just my imagination! All right?"

"All right, Rainbow Dash," Twilight droned. She sounded half-asleep. Her purple eyes stayed open, unblinking. The Pegasus' eyes faded back to their natural pink color.

"Whoa… you okay, Twi?"

Her eyes blinked and the unicorn shook her head. She mumbled something before finding her voice. "Yeah, I'm fine. So, is that everything, Dash?"

She nodded her head. Her sunglasses fell from their perch and hung a few inches off her snout. She pushed them back on with a hoof. "Yep, see you later."

The multicolored Pegasus shot into the sky, picking a direction at random. Twilight watched her rainbow trail vanish, and then examined her mail. A letter from her parents caught her eye; the other two were a bill and Pinkie's third reminder about Gummy's three-week anniversary of his birthday party coming up in three days. She rolled her eyes at the bright pink envelope and opened her parents' letter.

She started to read, but the soft patter of footsteps distracted her. With a groan, she turned around and found a pink and green baby dragon dragging his feet across the floor and rubbing one eye sleepily.

"Spike," Twilight whined. "You said you'd go out and get my supplies while Applejack and I checked on Rainbow Dash."

"I thought you'd be gone a bit longer," Spike yawned. He wondered where Twilight got all her energy. They had both been up late last night looking for the wayward Pegasus and reorganizing the library before that. "So, how's she doing?"

"She seems fine," Twilight said. She paused and reconsidered. "Though she seemed a bit distressed before Derpy showed up, but I've got a feeling she's okay now."

"A feeling?" Spike repeated, raising a scaly eyebrow. "Who are you and what've you done with my friend?"

The lavender pony shrugged. She recalled no point in the conversation in which the Pegasus pony had relieved her worry; still she believed Rainbow Dash didn't require her help. On the other hoof, Ponyville could use some help, finding last night's attacker moved to the top of Twilight's list.

"Spike, take a letter," Twilight walked toward the shelves. "I think Princess Celestia should know what's happening here."

* * *

><p>Sweet Apple Acres stood secure against the storm. The weather plan called for light rain with moderate winds, so the Apple family had only to store their hay somewhere dry, put all the animals inside, and lock the barn doors tight.<p>

Applejack arrived as Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom finished feeding the pigs. The pair walked out to meet her. Big Mac moved at a slow, steady pace, while Apple Bloom trotted up to her big sister.

"How's Rainbow Dash?" she asked. Mud clung to her hooves and pieces of straw stuck out of her hair and clung to her pink bow.

"Well, she's out and about," Applejack replied. "She's acting a might peculiar though. Twilight went off to talk with her about something."

"Well, at least, she's okay," Apple Bloom said. The older mare envied her optimism. Rainbow's lost and scared expression stuck with AJ and prevented her from sharing her sister's cheer. She knew plenty of things worse than physical injury. A sprained leg kept you off bucking for a few days tops, a sprained heart and mind caused worse.

Big Mac stopped next to Apple Bloom. He towered over both of his sisters and most other ponies. Yet the red stallion possessed a quiet, reserved demeanor. His eyes looked past Applejack and upwards at the sky.

"Well, look at that," he drawled.

Applejack turned around and craned her neck up. A rainbow shot up from Ponyville and looped through the sky. It headed towards the town outskirts. The stream of color spiraled up into the clouds and disappeared.

"Well, by golly," Applejack laughed. "I guess Twilight really cheered her up."

They watched the clouds for a moment and Rainbow Dash dropped back out of the sky. No colorful streak followed her and the small dot tumbled through the air with no sense of control. Applejack stopped breathing as she waited for the Pegasus to open her wings and glide away or pull up, but the figure continued falling. She heard a soft gasp next to her as Rainbow Dash dropped behind the trees and out of sight.

"Apple Bloom, get inside," she ordered. "Big Mac, come on."

The frightened filly's eyes filled with tears. "What happened? She was just showing off right?"

"Showing off" was a term Applejack sometimes used to describe Rainbow's stunts.

The orange pony wanted to nod and reassure her, but found she couldn't. Instead, she said. "I don't know, but Rainbow's a tough one. Now, go and find Granny Smith."

The redheaded pony spun around and ran towards the house. Applejack watched her disappear inside then galloped off with her brother. Rainbow's fall appeared to land her somewhere past the edge of the apple orchard.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash soared over the rooftops. She kicked off the top of a store sign and headed upwards. The clouds had darkened since she left the library and she no longer felt the uncomfortable heat on her back. Her energy returned, too. Perching on a loose cloud, she surveyed the horizon. The storm appeared to be coming along fine and she decided to go help with it.<p>

"Might as well remind Downpour who's in charge," she thought.

She rocketed up towards the cloud ceiling, looping around in a circle, leaving a spiral rainbow path behind her. Punching through the dark gloom, she powered through the storm, burrowing a path through the black cloud.

The blue pony burst through the cloud's uppermost layer and soared into the clear sky above. A pained yelped escaped her mouth as the unfiltered rays of sunlight burned her body. The brightness turned the brilliant blue expanse into a featureless white blur. Her eyes snapped closed, she could smell burning hair and flesh. Agony gripped her body and she flapped her wings in fruitless panic, losing her sense of direction. Feathers shook loose from her wings and her height faltered. Consciousness left her and she began plummeting. Her body bounced off the edge of a cloud and she tumbled back down the hole she had burrowed through the storm.

Her body spun through the air wildly, trailing smoke and feathers. Wind whipped the Pegasus' hair around and her sunglasses fell away from her face. Her wings hung open, but did nothing to slow her fall. She hit the ground at near terminal velocity, her skull and front legs cracked against the hard earth and her neck audibly snapped. The Pegasus lay still for several moments, blood leaking from her head, then her flank began rising and falling again. Bones cracked as they began knitting back together. Still unconscious, Rainbow Dash nevertheless bellowed in pain when her neck twisted back together.


	5. First Bite: The Pouring Rain

Chapter 5

The Pouring Rain

The darkening sky seemed to reflect Applejack's bleak emotions. Stray gusts of wind struck the two Earth ponies as they ran beneath the budding apple trees. A drop of cold water splashed against the back of her neck. The clouds opened slowly at first, than began pouring.

Applejack shivered as the storm soaked her hair. Raindrops pattered against her hat. Thunder roared overhead, but they pressed on regardless of the elements.

Apple bucking toughened up a pony. Applejack and Big Mac reached the edge of the Sweet Apple Acres with hardly any sense of fatigue. The river ran along this side of the farm and Applejack hoped Rainbow had not landed in water and been swept away.

"Let's spread out," she suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."

Big Mac nodded. He moved towards the riverbank and began walking alongside it. Applejack stayed under the trees and walked parallel to her brother. Her eyes scanned the trees, not catching sight of the brightly colored Pegasus.

Rainbow Dash crashed quite frequently. Despite that, Applejack had witnessed very few of them, the farm took up most of her time. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy watched their friend's stunts and sometimes gossiped about them with her. Nine times out of ten, Rainbow flew away from her wrecks only staying in the hospital a hoofful of times. Fluttershy had once admitted to treating some of Rainbow's moderate wounds. (She made Applejack promise not to tell anypony, since Rainbow didn't want others to know.) Applejack visited her rival whenever she stayed in the hospital for any length of time. Many of those stays caused by crashs from significant height. Applejack had seen enough of Rainbow's injuries to know what falling could do and she knew the Pegasus had never suffered a fall from this height.

"Over there!" Big Mac hollered.

The shout distracted her from her worrisome thoughts. She glanced down the bank and saw the red stallion galloping forward. Applejack's gaze traced a path in front of him and spotted a crumpled blue form on the grass. She ran toward the fallen Pegasus.

Blood covered Rainbow Dash's head and Applejack instantly feared the worse, then she saw the labored rise and fall of the Pegasus' flank. It looked as though she hit the ground headfirst, but Applejack didn't believe even Rainbow could survive such an impact. When she bent to examine her legs, she found no signs of broken bones; her wings likewise seemed fine, though Applejack knew less about those limbs. After checking that, she noticed the burns covering the Pegasus' exposed skin. Patches of fur burned off her body and blue feathers littered the crash site.

Applejack stared at the mutilated skin. Wisps of steam rose from the body. Rainbow looked more as if she had been trapped in a burning building than fallen out of the sky. The blood kept her from telling if the burns covered her face and the jacket over her upper body did likewise.

Thunder crashed overhead and Applejack screamed in surprise. The rain began pounding harder now. She glanced up at Big Mac. He saw the blank and helpless expression on her face.

"We need to get her to the hospital," Big Mac knelt down next to the unconscious pony. "Get her up on my back."

Applejack hesitated to move the injured Pegasus. She acted only after checking the pony's body over for breaks again. Satisfied, she nosed her head under Rainbow's side and pushed her up over her brother's back. The Pegasus snapped her jaws and bit into Big Mac's flank. She lost her grip and her head hung limp off one side. The bite left a small wound that bled disproportionately.

"Are you okay?" A.J. asked.

"E-yup," Big Mac replied, his deep voice cracking slightly from the pain. The stallion started forward. They walked at a brisk pace. Applejack stayed alongside her brother, giving Rainbow's head occasional nuzzles and whispering encouragement. She also watched for any other attempts to bite. It scared her how easily those teeth had drawn blood.

The stream rose higher as the rain continued. It swelled into a rushing dark mass. In fairer weather, they might have crossed anywhere in the shallows, but they could not risk carrying an injured pony through now. Not far ahead, a stone bridge linked Ponyville to an old road leading into the forest. They'd cross there.

Rainbow snapped her teeth together, making a loud clacking noise. She shifted on Big Mac's back, not struggling enough to fall off, but making the journey a lot harder for the stallion. A low groan issued from the Pegasus' throat.

Applejack stepped back towards her friend and resumed whispering encouragement. "Hang on, Rainbow. We'll have you safe and sound at the hospital in no time, Sugar Cube."

She looked up and spotted a light yellow and pink haired pony, plodding along with her head turned down against the rain. The wind whipped her long mane over her face. Her direction indicated she had come out of the woods. She appeared not to notice them.

"Fluttershy!" Applejack shouted.

The mare jumped and whipped around to face them. Applejack couldn't determine her expression at this distance, but she guessed the thunder unnerved the timid pony. She wondered what could bring Fluttershy out in this kind of weather.

The Pegasus galloped over to them as they halted. Her gaze shot towards the figure slung over Big Mac's back. Her eyes stretched wide in terror and her mouth curled into a distressed frown. She skidded to a stop on the wet grass.

"What happened to Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked. Her concern shifted from her own safety to the multicolored pony's.

"She fell," Applejack replied. Fluttershy turned a surprised look at her. "She didn't break anything, but she's bleeding and burned pretty bad."

"Burned?" Fluttershy repeated. She hovered up next to Rainbow Dash and examined her flank with a critical eye. "Okay, it doesn't look too serious."

Applejack balked. Running around to the opposite side, she saw the patches of blackened flesh had receded and sky blue hair covered most of the pony's flank again. Her mouth gaped in surprise; she couldn't have imagined all that damage. How had the wounds healed so fast?

"Some of these burns look several days old," Fluttershy said as if reading Applejack's thoughts.

"How do you reckon that's possible?" she asked. She supposed she should feel relieved, but she felt terrified and confused.

Fluttershy stayed silent, when she spoke at last, she said, "Where are you taking her?"

"To the hospital," Big Mac answered. His head had turned back to examine their charge as well.

"My cottage is closer," Fluttershy said. "Bring her there… if you don't mind that is…"

Applejack nodded and they continued. The yellow Pegasus hovered around to examine Rainbow's head. She quickly came to the same conclusion as A.J. that nothing had been broken in the fall. Applejack asked how that was possible and again Fluttershy could offer no explanation.

* * *

><p>As they laid Dash on a large oval pillow, she snorted and her head jerked up. Fluttershy, Applejack and Big Mac crowded around the corner of Fluttershy's cottage where Rainbow's temporary bed sat in a wooden basket. She blinked at them; her eyes had darkened, but still looked normal enough to the three. Applejack spoke, but the words reached her ears as nonsensical garbling.<p>

She jerked upward and fell to the floor as her weak limbs failed to support her weight. Her head landed a few inches from Applejack's legs and she tired to bite at her to no avail. Fluttershy hovered above her and hooked her front legs under her body. She lifted the slavering Pegasus off the floor and back into the bed. Rainbow ignored the easy target for the moment as she discovered the rain had failed to wash all the blood off her face. She licked the tangy liquid off with greedy relish.

Applejack's eyes widened and she said something to Fluttershy. She sounded terrified, but Rainbow ignored her and continued trying to clean off her face.

"What in tarnation is she doing?" Applejack asked, horrified and disgusted. Even Big Mac recoiled from the sight.

"I-, I guess she just wants to get clean," Fluttershy stuttered.

"Sugar Cube, nopony in their right mind does something like that," Applejack said.

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy dropped to the ground, her ears shifted back and her wings dropped to her sides.

"I dunno," the country pony said. She turned a stony expression on Rainbow Dash. Her tongue no longer reached, so she wiped her head against her front legs and then licked the residue off. "But she ain't acting like herself and there are all kinds of weird things happening to her body. I ran into her earlier and she looked shaken up worse than I've ever seen her."

"She left here to go talk to Twilight," Fluttershy said.

"I know. Twi was with me when she found her. I left them because Rainbow didn't want to talk to anypony else. I think something bad happened to her last night."

Fluttershy nodded. "She screamed in her sleep all throughout the night."

"What are you guys talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked. They jumped and turned to find the blue pony staring at them. Her eyes glazed over and her head tilted to one side sleepily.

"Rainbow, did you talk to Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"Huh?" her words slurred. "I guess so. Oh, did you know Derpy's alive? How about that, eh?"

Applejack and Fluttershy shared a confused glance. Muttering something about a sponge, the yellow Pegasus flew out of the room. Applejack walked over to the door, beckoning Big Mac with a nod of her head.

"What the hay do you think is wrong with her?" she asked under her breath. She shot a glance at the blue pony. Dash watched a bird perched on an overhead rafter. Flecks of red still stained her face.

Big Mac frowned and stared at Rainbow for several moments. Applejack waited for him to say something. She knew better than to rush her brother's slow deliberations.

"I dunno," he said. "Whatever it is, it ain't natural like you said."

Fluttershy returned with a pail of water hooked on her front legs. She set the bucket down next to Rainbow's bed, pulled a wet sponge from it, and dabbed at her bloody face with it. A growl emanated from the burned pony's throat and she ducked away.

"Come on, you need to get cleaned off and warm up some," Fluttershy said in her soothing maternal voice. She reached for the soaked coat around the Pegasus' upper body.

Like a snake, Rainbow launched her head at Fluttershy and hooked her fangs into her neck. A high-pitched shriek filled the cottage, attracting the Apple siblings' attention and hurting the bloodthirsty pony's ears.

"Rainbow Dash! What are you doing?" Applejack rushed over to them.

With a hiss, the blue Pegasus opened her wings and shot upwards, carrying her victim with her. Applejack's head crashed against the wall. Blood splashed onto her head and she feared she'd done herself some injury, but she craned her neck upwards and saw the blood dripped from Fluttershy.

Rainbow's maw buried itself in her neck, her eyes glowed crimson and blood poured from around her muzzle. Fluttershy hung limp, her eyes opened wide and staring. Big Mac grunted and leapt at the Pegasus' back. Rainbow turned her head at the noise, their eyes locked for a moment, and then she drove a hoof into his chest, knocking him backwards. He struck the stove and rolled off it, pots clanging against the floor.

A limp body dropped to the floor. Applejack gasped and scrambled over to Fluttershy. She placed an ear against the yellow chest. No heartbeat or rush of breath issued forth.

"Oh, my Celestia," Applejack muttered.

Hooves clacked down on the floor behind. Her head turned. Rainbow Dash stood over her, baring her long fangs, a red stain lined her mouth. Applejack pushed up, but a leg slammed down on her shoulders and knocked her back down. A gust of hot breath tickled the hair on her neck.

The weight on her back jerked off. She scrambled back to her feet. Big Mac had tackled Rainbow Dash into the wall, the wood cracking under the impact. He drew back and the Pegasus dropped to the ground. She twisted and kicked on the ground, Big Mac reared up to avoid a swinging leg. He stepped forward and brought his weight down on Rainbow. She shrieked as her ribs cracked under his weight. Her wings beat at the air and her body twisted and thrashed, but the stallion stayed on top of her.

"Hold her down!" Applejack exclaimed.

Rainbow's growls choked as she coughed up part of her recent meal. Big Mac felt the bones beneath his hooves move and then they snapped back together. The coughing halted as Rainbow's lung regenerated. Her feral grunts and struggles stopped. Her angular face relaxed into a soft round muzzle, her fangs shrunk, and her natural pink color returned to her eyes.

She looked at Applejack, ignoring the massive weight on her side. "W-what happened? Where am I?"

"You don't remember?" Tears welled up in the Earth pony's eyes. "Rainbow… you killed Fluttershy…"

"What?" she resumed her efforts to escape. Her struggle focused less on kicking and thrashing instead trying to slip out. This attempt failed, too. "Let me up!"

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. Big Mac yelped as the Pegasus' body collapsed into a cloud of blue mist. His hooves thudded against the floor. Applejack gasped. The vapor floated upward and shaped back into a pony. The silhouette wavered as it shifted back into solid form.

Rainbow Dash gasped when she saw the body lying on the floor. She swooped down and nuzzled the pink hair, choking on tears now.

Applejack stared at the scene and the desire to grab the Pegasus and drag her way from the body seized her. How dare she mourn when she caused this in the first place! She stepped forward and bit hold of Rainbow's mane. The blue pony yelped as Applejack yanked her backwards.

"What are you doing?" she growled at the orange mare.

"No, what are you doing?" A.J. shouted back. She pointed a hoof at Fluttershy. "You went crazy and killed her! How could you do that?"

Rainbow flinched away from her enraged glare. In any other situation, the arrogant daredevil would've shouted back, but a scared and guilt-ridden wreck stood in place of her normal self. She remembered her earlier fears of her friends discovering her secret. Her fears hadn't included killing one of her best friends, a notion too terrible to consider.

"I can't control myself," Rainbow Dash admitted, speaking as much to herself as them. Her eyes turned dark and glassy again. She shouted at the Apple siblings. "Get out of here! Now!"

Her scream startled them both, breaking Applejack's righteous fury. They didn't move at first, so Rainbow Dash leapt at Applejack. With a shriek, Applejack sidestepped the Pegasus and dashed towards the door. Big Mac lowered his head and charged. His multicolored target puffed into a cloud of smoke and he ran through it, doing nothing worse than dispersing the center. He tripped over Fluttershy's body and rolled across the floor.

Rainbow Dash reformed, facing the two. She roared at them, producing a loud echoing noise completely unlike any sound either pony had ever heard.

Applejack opened the door and hollered at Big Mac. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The red stallion glanced from Rainbow Dash to his sister. He galloped towards the door as the blue pony dived at him. They charged out into the rain and across the lawn. Dash dropped onto the doorstep and stared after them. The rain drenched her all over again before she stepped back inside.

Despite her recent meal, her body suddenly felt very heavy. She walked to the center of the room, where Fluttershy still lay. She blinked and her eyes returned to normal. Brushing back a lock of bloody pink hair, she exposed Fluttershy's face. She pushed her eyes closed with a hoof.

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy," Rainbow whispered. "I promise I won't be killing anypony else…"


	6. Adjustment Period: Revival

Chapter 6

Revival

It took several minutes of scouring the kitchen cupboards and drawers before Rainbow Dash found what she sought. She gripped the knife handle in her mouth and pulled it from a drawer. The blade glinted silver out of the corner of her eye. She gulped.

Rainbow Dash didn't often think about death. Despite all her violent crashes and life-threatening adventures, she had never sat down and considered it. If there was a place good ponies went when they died, Rainbow feared she wouldn't be going there after her recent sins. Her eyes drifted down to the blade again and her resolve wavered.

She glanced into the adjacent room. Fluttershy's body lay where Rainbow had discarded it after finishing her meal. No blood covered the body from this angle and Rainbow could almost believe the Pegasus had fallen asleep on the soft carpet.

Angel stood next to his owner. His ears drooped back and he sat in a hunched position. The rabbit had remained thus situated while Rainbow rummaged for the knife. Several creatures scurried over and sniffed at the still body in turn, but either lost interest or else chased away by Angel. This strange vigil still continued.

The white rabbit turned his watery black eyes on her. His glare burned with an intense hatred unmatched by any Rainbow Dash had ever seen. A chill shuddered through her.

Turning her back on him, she raised one of her legs and leaned her head down. The blade's cold steel touched her fur. She froze, and then raised her neck. The knife slipped from her nervous lips and opened a thin cut. It clattered to the ground as Rainbow Dash muttered a curse.

She stuck her mouth over the wound and sucked on it. It tasted just as sweet as Fluttershy or Derpy's blood. She moaned and rubbed her tongue against the wound. The skin wiggled against her tongue as it closed up.

"Ah," She sighed in disappointment when the wound healed, then realized she'd been sucking her own blood. "Gaaahhhh!"

Her flank slammed against the counter behind her as she stumbled backwards. Enraged, she kicked a cupboard door; her hoof punched a hole in the wood, forcing her to struggle free. Splinters and scratches covered the leg when her angry thrashing freed it. The minor scraps healed in moments.

Rainbow retrieved the knife from the floor and glanced at her unmarked front leg. She leaned down and hesitated before morbid curiosity overwhelmed her sense of self-preservation. The Pegasus plunged the blade into her leg and tore open a deep cut. She screamed and the knife dropped back to the floor, a red splatter painting the wood around it.

She fell backwards and leaned against the counter, watching as the succulent liquid dripped from the gory mess. It took all her willpower to keep from burying her maw in the gore. She expected to pass out, but stayed awake and lucid. Her flesh itched as it slowly repaired itself. The cupboard made a hollow thud as the frustrated pony banged her head against it. The transformation prevented the ending of her wretched new life!

A cacophony of animal sounds exploded in the other room, pounding into Rainbow's ears. She moved her hooves to cover them, but her injury stung and her leg fell back to stomach level. Her teeth gritted in pain.

Steps clopped across the floor, causing the multicolor pony to freeze. She wondered if Applejack or Big Mac had returned. The sounds indicated a single pony and she couldn't imagine why one would risk returning alone. Somepony else might be visiting, but why hadn't they panicked at the sight of Fluttershy's body? Nopony could miss the crumpled and bloody Pegasus in the floor's center. She glanced right into the room.

A yellow Pegasus stood in the doorway. Her long, pink hair disheveled and lengths of it stained with blood. Her eyes looked blank, having faded to a pale grey, instead of their usual vibrant blue. Fluttershy's head cocked sideways, like a hawk or eagle.

Rainbow Dash didn't know how to react, so she sat there and stared at her revived friend. The bloodstains and the cold pale eyes caused her to resemble a walking corpse.

Fluttershy prowled towards her. The blue Pegasus scuttled sideways. Her common sense knew Fluttershy wouldn't hurt her, but something about how she moved and the way the pale eyes locked on her bleeding leg unnerved Dash. Kneeling in front of her, Fluttershy gently grabbed her front leg and raised it. The pain had lessened, but Rainbow still stifled a yelp. She licked the surrounding blood from the wound before plunging her teeth into cut.

Thunder crashed as Rainbow yowled. Fluttershy tore the wound open afresh and gurgled down the flowing blood. She tried to escape, but the cupboard blocked her from behind and she couldn't struggle with her wound leg, she raised her good limb and tried to push Fluttershy away, but the yellow Pegasus clung to her, a cruel and greedy glint shone in her eyes.

A strange sensation filled Rainbow's body. Warmth spread up her leg and into her chest. He felt a sudden surge of hyperactive energy, and then foreign feelings crept into her mind. She felt the fangs leeching blood from her, the pleasurable taste on a tongue not her own drowning out the stinging stabs into her own flesh. She moaned along with Fluttershy as the yellow pony's belly filled. Visions of a starry black void and a light fading behind clouds played across her mind's eye. A fiery dragon rose up before her, sending a paralyzing terror through her body. The shape opened its mouth and swallowed her up.

In between her euphoric and muddled thoughts, Rainbow realized she was viewing Fluttershy's memories, experiencing them as clearly, as if they were her own.

The scene changed and rain drenched her hair as she trekked through the woods. She didn't seek shelter though, she had gone out deliberately to find the animals and get them to their burrows or nests. In Downpour's rushed organizing of the storm, no one had remembered to tell the Earth ponies to round up the forest creatures. She had ignored the ominous clouds and gone out to take care of the animals. The visions became a blurry jumble of sights, sounds, smells, and feelings.

"Fluttershy!" Applejack's voice shouted in her head.

Rainbow's head jerked back and smacked against the cabinet. The impact dazed her, but the pain only lasted for a moment. Fluttershy's memories swept her back out of the real world. The sight of A.J. and Big Macintosh trekking through the rain replaced the dreary darkness of the kitchen. She watched from Fluttershy's perspective as the unnerved Pegasus ran to their side. A blue figure slumped on the elder sibling's back. Though only the rear end of the pony was visible, the vibrant rainbow tail identified her to Fluttershy with one glance.

"What happened to Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked concerned more about her battered friend than the terrifying storm overhead.

She wished the memories to fade and the vision drifted away, she returned to the dark dining room. Still seated against the counter, Rainbow glanced down, finding Fluttershy had removed her fangs and rested her head atop her stomach. She seemed to sense Dash's gaze as her soulful blue eyes peeked open.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash stared at her, an expression of stupefied astonishment on her face. She grunted and raised her leg, stretching the healed limb. A hollow feeling gripped her belly, but the demanding beast stayed silent for the moment. "I'm fine. What about you?"

Her head rose, leaving a warm spot on Dash's belly. She stretched her back and wings out. "I feel great."

"Really?" Rainbow's voice carried a note of disbelief. "Aren't you confused? Or angry?"

"Why would I be?" the yellow mare asked with an expression she took for genuine surprise.

This conversation reminded Dash of her talk with Derpy earlier that morning. Instead of the expected fear or rage, the grey mail pony reacted as she normally would. Anger flared in Rainbow as she realized the pony's denial of the past night's events had led to her attacking Fluttershy. The emotion faded when she remembered the fault didn't lie with Derpy. Fluttershy seemed not to recall Rainbow's actions anymore than the cross-eyed pony had.

"What happened after you brought me here?" she asked.

Confused by the strange question, Fluttershy glanced at her hooves, trying to recall. "We laid you in the bed in the corner. You woke up, but were acting odd. You kept licking at the blood on your face. I went to get some water to clean you off…"

"And then?" Rainbow Dash prompted, but Fluttershy stayed silent and pawed at the floor.

"I remember a nightmare… and then drinking this stuff that tasted better than anything I ever drank before and I guess I woke up on top of you…" her voice lowered as she finished her account. She gave Rainbow Dash a questioning look, as if asking her to approve of the story.

"Fluttershy…" she paused and the room quieted, only the low song of a bird disturbed the silence. Taking a deep breath, she launched into a candid and fast explanation. "I attacked you and drank your blood. I couldn't control myself and didn't know what I was doing. Something's changed me. I was- am sure I killed you and Applejack thought the same thing. I chased her and Big Mac off because I didn't want to hurt them, too. I went in here, found a knife, and cut myself, and then you came in and started sucking up the blood. That's what you were drinking."

A nervous laugh met Fluttershy's widened eyes and pale face. The yellow Pegasus chuckled along with her, but stopped when she fell silent. Rainbow narrowed her eyes.

"You're serious?" she asked in a soft whisper.

Rainbow leaned down and bit her leg. She tore a pair of red lines in her skin and held her limb out to show Fluttershy. The yellow pony shambled away, but drew forward again when the tangy smell reached her nostrils. Her eyes widened in horror and she froze in place. The scratches closed up and Rainbow licked off the blood. Fluttershy retreated to a corner and curled up into a ball of pink hair and feathery wings. Rolling to her hooves, Rainbow walked over as soft sobs choked from the other Pegasus's throat.

She stopped with her hooves a few inches from Fluttershy. A strange feeling came over her, a fierce sense of protectiveness. The awkward pony had been a favorite target of bullies as a filly. Seeing those jerks pick on an easy target to boast their own pathetic and fragile egos stirred an angry defensive response from Rainbow Dash. This feeling resemble that one, but lacked the burning anger, instead it felt gentle and she found herself wanting to soothe Fluttershy's misery.

Her nose nuzzled against the Pegasus' flank in an awkward yet comforting way. The sniffling lowered and Fluttershy raised her head, tears stained the fur beneath her eyes. Rainbow pulled her into a gentle hug and rubbed a hoof against her back, her chin rested atop her friend's head.

"It'll be okay," she whispered, though she didn't believe her own words. Before long, they would both be hungry again and lose control. The hunger pangs had started again for her. She guessed Fluttershy would be full for a while longer. Her voice lost some of the maternal tone and regained its trademark rasp when she spoke next. "Come on, stop crying."

Fluttershy sniffled and cleared her throat, trying to halt the tears. Rainbow Dash patted her shoulder as she pulled away. The bloody knife caught her eye when she turned. She kicked it across the floor. Suicide would leave Fluttershy alone and she couldn't force anypony else to undergo it, no matter the danger they presented to other ponies.

How would she keep from killing and converting more ponies then? A mouse emerged from a hole in the wall and scurried across the countertop. Rainbow watched as it stopped and sniffed at a lidded jar. Her eyes widened. They could try feeding off the wildlife! Fluttershy might not like it, but she didn't even need to know. Rainbow could hunt down the animals and Fluttershy could suck the blood from her. A smile broke across her face at the sheer simplicity of it.

"Where did you say Applejack and Big Mac went?" Fluttershy asked.

Her lips turned down and she slammed a hoof into her forehead. It wouldn't matter if her solution worked if those two told the town what they'd seen. Before anything else, she needed to find them and somehow convince them to stay silent.

"Come on, Fluttershy. We have to find them right away."


	7. Adjustment Period: Lies and Disloyalty

Author's Note: I have a quick question for my readers. So far, I haven't gone too far trying to affect Applejack and her family's accent. Have you liked it this way or should I make a greater effort to capture the accent?

Chapter 7

Lies and Disloyalty

Rainbow Dash wanted to fly right out into the storm, regardless of her soaked jacket, wet coat, and bloody face. Fluttershy's soft protests died in the air before reaching the impatient Pegasus, but she felt the yellow mare's apprehension as if it had taken root in her own heart.

"What's wrong?" she asked, pausing next to the door. Her front legs folded over her chest as she hovered upright.

Fluttershy bowed her head, peering at Rainbow from one eye, the other covered by a long lock of pink hair. "I don't think we should go and see Applejack without washing up first."

Dash scowled, why in Equestria should they worry about appearances? The important thing was keeping Applejack from revealing their secret! She opened her mouth to disagree with the idea.

"I just don't think anypony should see us wondering around covered in blood…" Fluttershy explained.

The angry Pegasus relaxed. Her wings folded and she dropped to the floor. "You're right. I guess bursting in, covered in blood, and screaming about how I'm not a killer won't work. Let's be quick though."

Rainbow Dash charged up the stairs and Fluttershy scurried after her. Animals in the hall fled from the pounding hooves, screeching and chattering. She careened into the bathroom and twisted the tub spigot with her mouth. The water poured into the tub and Dash shoved her face under the torrent. She gasped as the heat struck her cold head. She pulled herself up and shook her head, spraying droplets around the tub.

Fluttershy entered in a more reserved fashion. She stopped up the drain, while Rainbow Dash pulled off her soaked and bloodied hoodie. The jacket dropped into a heap in the corner. She faced the mirror over the sink and checked for any remaining spots of blood. Turning on the sink, she wet a hoof towel and began rubbing at the spots of blood on her body.

"I should probably make sure you aren't hurt," Fluttershy said. Her suggestion earned a scornful look and eye roll from Rainbow Dash. "Or I could just take your word for it…"

She turned back to the tub, afraid to meet Rainbow's blood red eyes, but shooting concerned side-glances at her. Fluttershy's fretful worrying seemed to strangle the blue pony. She tried to block out the foreign feelings, but they just kept coming. She rubbed at the drying splotches with angry vigor as Fluttershy's thoughts buzzed in her head like a swarm of incessant flies.

Rainbow Dash growled and spun around, standing on her hind legs and stretching out her wings. She waved a hoof under Fluttershy's nose. "There! See? There isn't even a scar on me! Now quit worrying about me and get cleaned off."

Timid fear replaced the suffocating worry. Rainbow Dash whirled around and grabbed a towel. (Bright pink and yellow butterflies decorated the fabric.) She dried her face while Fluttershy stepped into the bath. Warmth spread up Dash's legs and then rushed through her body as Fluttershy washed the blood from her hair. She focused on blocking out the sensations, but they just grew clearer. She tried ignoring them and that worked better, but the sensation of trickling water still played faintly across her skin.

She tossed the damp towel to Fluttershy when the yellow mare stepped out of the tub. Rainbow's mane stuck up in a bristling mess, locks of different colors overlapping. She resembled herself as a young filly, back before she realized if she wanted to break into stunt work and become famous, she should look more like a pony, less like a blue hedgehog.

Rainbow turned towards the door, but stopped when she sensed Fluttershy's hesitant desire to question her. Rather than become annoyed, she faced the timid pony and sat down. She couldn't explain her sudden change in mood, but perhaps she recognized her friend's worries as the same that plagued her or maybe she felt better in the absence of her friend's pity. "What's up, Fluttershy?"

"Oh… um…" she mumbled. "I wanted to know… am I going to go crazy and start attacking ponies, too."

"It's a possibility," Rainbow bluntly replied, furrowing her brow and massaging her forehead. She felt the horror of her situation beginning to overwhelm her once again. "If I get hungry, I loose track of what's going on around me. It's like… I guess it's a bit like sleepwalking."

"Well, can't you eat something else?" Fluttershy asked. "You ate breakfast this morning."

"I threw those carrots up a few minutes after leaving," she replied. "I haven't eaten since then, except for… you know."

Fluttershy dropped her towel and walked over to her friend. Rainbow Dash's gaze met her concerned blue eyes. Fluttershy wrapped her legs around Dash's neck. She returned the hug, the physical contact helped reassure both of them.

Tears choked Rainbow Dash's throat. Only Fluttershy could forgive somepony for attacking her. If she stepped on a snake and it bit her, she would still bandage up the angry reptile. Her other friends would have reacted much worse, except perhaps Pinkie Pie whose behavior she found unpredictable even under normal circumstances.

"Look, Fluttershy, I'm going to figure something out," Rainbow said, still fighting back tears. She cleared her throat and raised her voice. "Now let's go keep Applejack from sending Ponyville into a panic."

After collecting their emotions, they stepped into the hall. Fluttershy headed opened a closet and grabbed a bright yellow raincoat. She tried to offer it or a heavy coat to Dash, but she refused. A weather pony could handle a little rain. She regretted that decision when she stepped out into the storm. The cold raindrops and the wind pierced her damp fur. Shivers wracked her body.

"Maybe we should wait for the storm to stop," Fluttershy suggested.

"No!" Rainbow shot back. Her gut told her Applejack wouldn't wait for the weather to clear.

Her wings snapped open and she propelled herself into the air. The wind blew her off course and made flying twice as hard. After a moment's hesitation, Fluttershy leapt into the air and the gale almost slammed her into the cottage wall before her frantic flapping exerted enough force to overcome the headwind. She moved at a slow pace, the wind jerking her from side to side.

"Rainbow! I don't think I can fly in this!" she called out to the blue Pegasus. The howl of the wind swept away her cry, but Rainbow sensed her distress and spun around.

Coming back towards her, the wind propelled Dash along. Rainbow's wings flared as she tried to bleed off the excess speed. Fluttershy's eyes widened as the out of control pony flew towards her. She dodged to the side just as Rainbow surged past. The hapless blue pony crashed headfirst into the leafy roof of the cottage. The greenery rustled as Rainbow Dash pulled free of it. She dropped to the ground, landing on her tail with a loud, pain-filled yelp. A grimace spread over her muzzle.

"We should probably walk," Rainbow Dash agreed. Flying would be slower and more dangerous in this kind of weather.

They set off on the ground, Rainbow choosing a hard gallop as their pace. She kept glancing over her shoulder to ensure Fluttershy was keeping up, even though she could feel the frail pony struggling to match her speed. Begrudgingly, she slowed down until Fluttershy's muscles quit aching.

Even though she suspected Applejack wouldn't wait before warning the town, she set their route towards the farm. The Earth pony would certainly stop there first and warn her family. With the time wasted on bathing, her hopes of catching Applejack still at home were slim.

The wind and rain blew into their faces, forcing them to keep their heads bowed. They headed into the apple trees when they reached them and the plants sheltered them from the elements the rest of the way. Cutting through the orchard, they arrived at Sweet Apple Acre's farmhouse after a few minutes walk. Rainbow Dash charged to the doorstep and banged a hoof against the door.

Fluttershy stopped next to her and gasped for breath. The pace had increased when Rainbow realized they were near the house and Fluttershy had winded herself. The multicolor pony ignored her, focusing instead on the house in front of her.

The door opened to reveal a young redheaded pony. Applebloom's eyes widened at the sight of the blue Pegasus. The door swung shut, but Rainbow jammed it open with a hoof.

"Hold on!" Dash yelled. "I have to talk to Applejack!"

"She said we're not supposed to let you in," Applebloom replied, pushing on the door. Rainbow considered pushing back and forcing it open, the little filly on her own couldn't stop her.

"Applebloom, its Fluttershy," the yellow pony had recovered her voice. "Why won't you let Rainbow in?"

"Applejack said she's trouble," the filly replied.

_Since when have you listened to your sister? _Rainbow Dash thought. She had had no problem wondering off into the woods to chase Zecora back when everypony thought the zebra was an evil enchantress.

"All right, I won't come in!" She yelled more out of frustration than to be heard over the wind. Her hoof stayed in the doorway. "Just tell us where Applejack is!"

"What makes you think she ain't here?" Applebloom asked.

"Simple: you haven't called for her yet."

Silence fell on the inside of the house. Rainbow imagined the frightened filly on the other side; leaning against the wood, knowing it would take her opponent one good shove to force the door open. Nopony, but herself and her old grandmother there, the thought shamed Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy hovered overtop of Rainbow Dash and peered through the crack in the door. The winds seemed to have died down, only managing to blow around her tail and the lock of hair that extended out of her coat's hood.

"Applebloom, sweetie," Fluttershy said. "We need to talk to your sister before she does something she'll regret. Please tell us where she's gone."

The filly didn't answer for a few seconds. "She and Big Mac went into Ponyville. I don't know exactly where they were headed, but they were real upset."

Guiltily, Rainbow Dash realized again that she was glad to have Fluttershy with her. Nopony else could have coaxed such an easy answer from the filly.

"Thanks, kid," She pulled her hoof free of the door and it slammed closed. Stepping backwards, she felt the wind, now lowered to a gentle breeze. Her wings opened and propelled her skywards. Fluttershy ascended behind her, flapping frantically to keep up. Though her wings had gone unused, the earlier run through the storm had exhausted the rest of her body.

"This looks more like the weather we were supposed to get," Rainbow Dash commented as she hovered next to Fluttershy two stories off the ground. "I bet Downpour messed up and unloaded everything at once. She didn't even get the wind direction right!"

"I'm sure she tried her best," Fluttershy said charitably. She followed her companion over the fields and farmyard to the main road into town.

Rainbow scoffed and glanced down. They soared toward Ponyville, searching for Applejack's distinct cowgirl hat or Big Macintosh's large frame on the brown trails that wound through the green countryside. As they followed the dirt road closer to town, Rainbow Dash started to think AJ and her brother had beaten them there, but she spotted the siblings as they neared the town's outskirts. They were in a depression between two hills; the edge of town was a short walk beyond the next hilltop.

Fluttershy yelped as the blue Pegasus rocketed away. The long grass and trees bent as the speeding Rainbow passed. She overtook Applejack, looped upwards, and dropped down. The Earth ponies yelled as Rainbow's turbulence buffeted them, and then shrieked again, when they saw her blocking the path.

"Hey, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said with forced casualness. Now that she faced the pair, she found herself lacking a rehearsed argument. She didn't know whether to present Fluttershy and try to convince them nothing had happened or tell the truth. The lie seemed unbelievable, but ponies had been listening to her commands with frightening promptness lately. Her eyes flashed red at the thought, further frightening her quarry.

"Rainbow?" Applejack asked as if she didn't quite recognize her rival. She stood her ground, but looked ready to bolt or battle at the slightest move on Dash's part. "What do you want?"

The Pegasus folded her wings and sat down, doing her best not to look threatening. Her ears perked up at the sound of panting. Fluttershy flew overtop the pair and belly flopped to the ground.

Applejack stared at the exhausted ball of yellow feathers and fur. Her eyes widened and tears began glistening in their corners. She stepped towards Fluttershy, but Big Mac blocked her with an outstretched leg.

"What's going on?" he asked. The red stallion wore a steely expression. Applejack glanced at him, and then back at the Pegasi. She frowned at them.

"Erm," Rainbow Dash studied the ground. Fluttershy couldn't offer much help, as she hadn't caught her breath. "Uh-, the whole thing was just a prank. I found a pair of fake fangs and-."

"I ain't buying it, Rainbow," Applejack interrupted, stomping forward. Fluttershy squeaked and scrambled back. Rainbow Dash stepped around her and stood face to face with a glowering AJ. "You can either tell us what's happening or we can tell everypony what we think we know."

"What you think you know?" Rainbow repeated, narrowing her eyes. Rage boiled in her stomach. An angry snort passed through her nose. "So you were going to tell everypony what happened?"

Applejack stood her ground. They were used to arguing with each other, even after Rainbow's freak out at the cottage AJ wasn't easily intimidated. Any other pony would have found her confidence foolish, but Rainbow admired it though not enough to let Applejack's planned betrayal pass.

"Rainbow, look at what you've done," her voice lowered as she tried appealing to her friend's reasonable side. "You attacked Fluttershy; I don't rightly know how she's still alive. I'm glad she ain't dead and all, but it's a might peculiar."

"There's an understatement," Rainbow said bitterly. She sighed, trying to let the anger flow from her body. She sat down, so she couldn't act on the temptation to lunge for her friend's throat. Her gaze shifted back to Applejack, the Earth pony put on an understanding expression. "My memory is all messed up, but I remember flying over the Everfree Forest last afternoon. There's a blank spot after that, but I woke up in some old mansion or something. I flew back towards Ponyville… I noticed blood all over myself and started licking at it."

Applejack's face twisted with disgust. "You were drinking your own blood?"

"I was hungry!" Rainbow snapped back. "And I didn't even realize what I was drinking anyway. When I snapped out of that daze, I headed for the nearest river to get cleaned off. That's where Fluttershy and Pinkie found me last night. I guess I looked a little freaked out to them."

She paused and examined Applejack's expression and body language. A frown had spread over her face again. Her legs stood firmly against the ground, ready to run or kick as needed. When she spoke, her voice was low. "Go on. What'd you need to talk to Twilight for?"

_She knows I'm hiding stuff,_ Rainbow thought. Panic started setting in, but she fought it off. Just because Applejack was the Element of Honesty didn't mean she was some kind of living lie detector. "I was really freaking out, okay? I thought maybe she would know what was happening to me."

"And did she?"

"No," she sighed, trying to sound disappointed. "I… left without asking her any questions at all."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know! I guess I lost my nerve."

Silence passed between them. Applejack glared at Rainbow, who avoided making eye contact. "How'd you end up falling out of the sky covered with burns?"

She hesitated with her answer. "I think the sun burnt me."

"What?"

"The dreary light had been bothering me all day. When I pierced the clouds and it hit me directly… it hurt… a lot. I guess you know the rest."

"Not quite yet, Sugarcube," Applejack said, her voice lacking the usual softness it held when she used the nickname. "You haven't said a thing about Fluttershy."

"I'm fine, Applejack," the yellow pony spoke at last.

"Really?" she asked. "Because you didn't look fine when I last saw you."

Fluttershy shied away and tried to hide her head under a wing. Rainbow's anger boiled again. "If she says she's fine, then she's fine."

"Nope. Sorry, Rainbow, but I don't buy it," Applejack said. "You might be fine now, but I saw you tear open a friend's throat and… I know you left some details out of your story. Fluttershy's acting weird… For your own good, I'm telling the authorities what I know."

"What?" Rainbow Dash exploded. She stood up and Applejack stepped back. "If you do this, I'm history! Everything I worked to build for myself in Ponyville will be gone. No weather team captain, no town hero, all anypony will remember is a psychotic monster!"

"You care more about your popularity than the safety of everypony?" AJ shot back.

"You're going to destroy my reputation!" Rainbow shouted. "I'll end up thrown in a dungeon or banished to the moon. I'd sooner kill myself. Would that make you happy, Applejack? No more lazy and hotheaded Pegasus around to bother you?"

"I don't want anything of the sort," Applejack said. She dropped her voice to its normal volume and pleaded. "Rainbow, I'm sure we can figure something out, but until then we can't risk you hurting anypony else."

"E-yup," Big Mac added.

Rainbow Dash lowered her head, so her bangs shielded her face from Applejack. A rumble emanated from the blue pony's belly. The argument had magnified her hunger, confusing her thoughts. She barely heard Applejack's last argument, gleaning most of it from Fluttershy's mind.

"Rainbow, you all right?" Applejack asked. She leaned in as the wind shifted, blowing her scent toward Dash. Hunger overpowered her and she lunged at the workhorse.

"Look out!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

Applejack froze for a split-second and when facing Rainbow Dash a split second's hesitation was too long. Big Macintosh didn't freeze; he shoved his sister aside with his massive frame. Rainbow's fangs hooked into his throat and ripped through the flesh as he fell. He landed on top of Applejack, blood spurting from his neck across the muddy ground.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: And Dash blows another Will Save. Anyway, time to decide if Big Mac lives or dies. Hmm… *Flips a coin.*<p> 


	8. Adjustment Period: Persistence

Chapter 8

Persistence

Applejack slid a few inches in the mud. Everything happened so fast, she couldn't keep up with it. Rolling onto her stomach, she glanced over at her brother. Big Mac lay in the middle of the road, blood flowing from his torn neck into the brown water. The stallion hacked and coughed as he tried to breath.

His attacker loomed over him. Rainbow's pupils stretched into blank red lenses filling her eye sockets. Her mane stood up in wild, disheveled spikes. Trails of blood ran down her lower jaw. Her lips curled back, revealing her sharp fangs.

Applejack scrambled to her feet and bodily shoved Rainbow Dash. The feral Pegasus stumbled back and fell onto the grassy roadside. She rolled up and snapped open her wings. AJ stepped back as she rose into the air.

"Stop it!" Fluttershy cried.

Dash ignored her shout and dived at the orange Earth pony. Applejack reared up to meet her. They collided and splashed into the bloody puddle in front of Big Mac's still form. Red and brown droplets sprayed through the air as the two powerful ponies wrestled with each other.

AJ expected to gain the upper hand in a close quarters fight. Despite her athleticism, Rainbow's graceful and lightweight body shouldn't be able to overpower a hardworking Earth pony.

Rainbow pinned her against the soft mud. Her hooves dug into Applejack's skin as they pressed her legs down. The hardworking Earth pony struggled to push the Pegasus off, but Rainbow ignored her violent thrashing.

Not content with the small sip she got from Big Mac, Rainbow leaned in towards her traitorous friend's neck. Applejack pressed her head into the ground in a vain attempt to avoid the fangs. She heard Fluttershy begging them to stop over the increasing howl of the wind. Two sharp teeth stabbed into her neck and she shut her eyes, trying to focus her hearing in Big Mac's direction. Cold spread through her body as Rainbow sucked at her neck. She tried to speak, but the numbness spread to her snout.

At that point, Fluttershy snapped. The meek pony spread her wings and launched herself at Rainbow's exposed flank. She struck Dash hard, knocking her off Applejack, and overtop Big Mac. The rainbow pony struck the ground headfirst and rolled over her tail before coming to a stop several feet away.

"That's enough!" Fluttershy screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Rainbow Dash glanced back, her pupils shrinking to their normal size. Her face wore an expression of shock. "Fluttershy, did you just-?"

The yellow Pegasus turned away, hiding her quivering mouth and watery eyes from Rainbow. She helped Applejack back to her feet. The Earth pony balanced on her unsteady limbs, her eyelids slid half-closed, two circles in her neck bled red over her orange fur. She groaned and mumbled something unintelligible.

Dash couldn't explain why she did what she did next. Perhaps her feral side influenced her actions, but she remembered stepping up to the two ponies. They both flinched away from her. She leveled her gaze with Applejack's green eyes. Her irises darkened as the exhausted Earth pony stared into their depths. Applejack's body went rigid against Fluttershy's side as Rainbow Dash began speaking.

"You're not going to ever say anything about this to anypony," she spoke soft and clear. "You can't say anything about what you saw at Fluttershy's cottage early today either."

"What if somepony asks about it?" Applejack said sleepily.

"You say nothing!" Rainbow hissed as thunder exploded overhead. "Or you lie, I don't care!"

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy shrieked.

The crimson eyes shifted to her and the yellow pony shrunk under her gaze. Applejack collapsed as though Rainbow's stare had been the only thing holding her up. She hit the ground unconscious. Fluttershy knelt next to her and pressed an ear against her chest. Rainbow didn't ask how the farm pony fared, the relief she felt in Fluttershy's heart told enough.

She turned to Big Mac. She had no need to ask Fluttershy's help with him. He lay in the same spot he'd first fallen with a vast red cloud seeping into the earth around him. His frightened, dead eyes stared at the sky. His legs splayed around, lowered to the mud after they lost the strength to flail.

"Oh, Celestia, what have I done?" Rainbow whispered. She glanced back to check on Fluttershy, finding the yellow pony standing beside her. A wing extended outward and blocked Fluttershy's view.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I- I dunno," Rainbow replied. "I just don't want you looking…"

Fluttershy whimpered and ducked to the ground. She placed her front hooves over her face and sobbed into them. "You killed him… Why? Why?"

"I didn't mean to," Rainbow said. "I was hungry and mad. I couldn't help it. Fluttershy, please-."

The yellow pony leapt away at the soft prod against her shoulder. She faced Rainbow, tears flowing from her blue eyes. "Applejack's right. We have to turn ourselves in."

"No," she replied.

"Why not? I don't want to hurt anypony."

Rainbow Dash sighed as the rain poured down around her. She folded her wings and sat down. She tried to put her fears into words, not an easy task for a pony not used to revealing her insecurities. "We'll be hurting ourselves. Nopony's going to treat us with sympathy. We're dangerous now, Fluttershy. What do most ponies think of mountain lions?"

"Well, I don't know…" Fluttershy sobbed, raising her head. "I guess they're scared of them because lions eat meat, but they're more scared of us than we are of them."

"Right and we do our best to keep them away, and if one gets too close we do everything we can to chase it off," Rainbow said. "And if a lion becomes a pony eater… Well, there's not much to do after that…"

"But we're not animals, we're not lions," Fluttershy shook her head.

"They already think some kind of animal's responsible for the attacks," she spoke in a calm, detached way. "And that's how they'll think of us if they find out."

"That's not right though," Fluttershy said. "You said we couldn't help ourselves. We just need to tell them that-,"

"Not everypony's as understanding as you," Rainbow Dash glanced back. "Come on, we should do something before Applejack bleeds to death."

"She should be fine," Fluttershy said. "The wound's not bleeding that bad. We can bring her back to my hut."

"No, we should avoid other ponies as much as possible," Dash looked up the hill, suddenly worried about somepony spotting them. "I'll fly over to the hospital and get an ambulance sent out here."

"What about me?" Fluttershy asked.

"Go back to your cottage and don't let anypony, except me, in," she turned and flew skyward.

* * *

><p>Derpy had pulled a raincoat from her mailbag as the torrent started. She felt rather clever at that moment for being prepared, but then the winds struck her. It blew her off her loopy flight pattern and into a mailbox. Her coat fluttered off, carried by the wind.<p>

The grey Pegasus found her head somehow stuck inside the box, the rest of her body hanging out. She grunted and braced her front hooves against the metal. She beat her wings and pushed with her legs. With a pop, she flew free of the mailbox and smashed into a lamppost.

"Urrgh," she groaned and rubbed her aching head. Her stomach complained with a loud rumble. Derpy began to regret not calling in sick that morning. After throwing up breakfast and then the dull light burning her eyes and heating her coat to an uncomfortable degree, she should've called off and settled back into bed, but she took the post office motto very seriously, maybe too seriously.

Still rubbing her head, she sat up. The blue mailbox sat in front of her, ripped from its place in the ground from the force she exerted pulling free. It stood on four bent legs and a pair of hoof prints dented its side. Behind her, the lamppost now possessed a pony-shaped curve near its base.

Rain soaked her bare coat and wind whipped her yellow mane. Derpy tried to find her raincoat, but the wind had carried it off. Abandoning her search, she folded her wings against her side, lowered her head, and pressed on in the face of the storm.

She followed the same route as always, down Gumdrop Street, stuffing mouthfuls of letters into mailboxes. Several times, the wind blasted a letter from her grip and she had to scramble after it, half-running and half-flying.

After chasing a particularly flighty letter over several fences and through a flowerbed and swimming pool, she caught it and glanced around to find herself on Market Street. Derpy stuffed the drenched letter under a closed wing and began trotting the long way around to Gumdrop Street. After cutting through three different alleys, she made it back to her mail route. She stuffed the envelope into its box and snapped the lid closed. With a sigh, she peered into her mailbag. Empty space greeted her eyes. She exhaled.

The triumphant Pegasus began her journey home. The storm continued its attack on the grey pony. Her empty mailbag whipped against her side, blown by the wind. Thunder and lightning cracked and flashed from the clouds. The echoing booms hurt her ears and every flash of lightning left her blind for several seconds.

"Derpy! What in Equestria are you doing out there without a coat?" a voice shouted from her left.

She turned towards the voice. A small yellow house stood in front of her. A white picket fence surrounded the front yard. A rectangular patch of plowed earth covered the lawn. Small wooden poles stood in rows at the garden's edge. The pole's signs displayed different vegetables against a white background. Beans, tomatoes, and celery each filled one row, while carrots filled the remainder. White, flower-shaped stepping-stones led from the gate to the front porch. A small garden surrounded the porch, waiting for its crop of flowers to sprout and decorate the home over the summer. Wooden carrot-shaped decorations hung from the porch railing.

The home's owner, a yellow-coated, orange-maned, green-eyed mare, stood under the shelter of the porch roof. Her Cutie Mark consisted of three (What else?) carrots. She tossed her head, gesturing for Derpy to come over.

The grey Pegasus galloped towards the dry haven. Her rescuer dashed towards the gate, yelping as the cold rain struck her. She unlatched the gate and the wind blew it open, striking the orange-maned pony on the nose. With a cry of pain and surprise, the Earth pony fell unto her back. Derpy charged into the yard and stopped to help her friend up. Together they forced the gate closed again, and then retreated inside.

"Are you all right, Carrot Top?" Derpy gasped, as she sat dripping water onto the kitchen floor.

"My nose hurts," she replied. Her tone turned scolding. "What were you doing out there without your raincoat?"

"I didn't forget it," Derpy said. "The wind caught it and blew it away from me."

Carrot Top sighed and felt her nose with a hoof. She flinched at the light touch. Two separate trickles of blood flowed from her nostrils. Derpy licked her lips at the sight. Carrot Top turned around and missed Derpy Hooves' hungry expression.

"They ought to cancel the mail if they're going to drum up storms like that," Carrot Top said as she walked towards the sink.

Derpy followed her, narrowing her eyes as Carrot Top flicked a switch, turning the ceiling lights on. Warm colors permeated most of the house. The yellow and orange tile floor gleamed. A red table sat in the center of the room; a green-and-white checkered tablecloth draped over it. The cupboards were light orange and the countertop dark green.

Carrot Top pulled a drawer open and grabbed a carrot-emblazoned hoof towel. She turned on the sink and ran it under the water. Derpy groaned in disappointment as she wiped her bloody nose off.

"So, how's Dinky doing? I heard she got her Cutie Mark last week," Carrot Top said.

"Yeah, archery of all things," Derpy chuckled. "It's a good thing she didn't inherit my eyes."

The Earth pony laughed as she pulled another towel from the cupboard. She handed it to Derpy. "There you go. You can dry off and warm up in here. You're probably chilled to the bone."

She shook her head, but accepted the towel. Despite the powerful wind and freezing raindrops, Derpy felt good. Her hunger and the water soaking her coat didn't concern her when she had a nice warm house and a friend with which to talk. They sat around the kitchen table as the grey Pegasus dried off.

"Would you like some lunch?" Carrot Top asked.

"Yes, please! I'm starving."

* * *

><p>Junebug trotted through a field of wildflowers. The yellow Earth pony walked across the sunlit hills, the cool, gentle breeze blowing through her mane. A strange rose caught her interest and she stopped to take a closer look. White thorns grew from its green stem, the prickles tipped with red. The midnight black petals swayed in the wind.<p>

When she looked up, a burnt forest had replaced the sunny meadow. Fire had baked the ground into a hard sheet. Ash floated in the still air, choking her. Nothing green grew there, save for the black rose. Blood began dripping from the flower's thorns. Junebug scrambled back, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up in alarm.

A growl sounded behind her and she spun around. A crumbling wall of stone rose in front of her. A pair of blood red eyes glared at her from a lightless crack in the rock. A mouth opened in the darkness, its white teeth glinting in the light and dripping drops of crimson.

Junebug jerked awake for the fifth time that morning. She sat up in her hospital bed, panting and sweating. Darkness shrouded the room. The hospital curtains kept the dull sunlight from entering. Her only source of light came from the small lamp sitting on the table next to her bed. It cast a dim white glow into the room. A few scattered get-well cards and a vase of flowers sat around the lamp. Pinkie Pie's gift, a trio of balloons, floated at the end of her bed, tied to the post. Nopony occupied the neighboring bed. Junebug had the room all to her self, but felt isolated and vulnerable. Another pony, even a sickly stranger, would've soothed her nerves.

She leaned back against the mattress and exhaled with relief. The wound in her neck had healed quickly. The doctor had called for a blood test to assure the bite hadn't carried any diseases. He told her she had been lucky to be found before she lost any more blood. Barring complications, he promised her release as soon as tomorrow.

The handle clicked and the door swung open. The widening crack cast a rectangular square of yellow against the wall. A stallion's shadow stood in the light, a horn jutting from its forehead. The door thumped shut and the shadow vanished. Hooves clopped across the floor towards her bed. They paused at the edge of the ring of light her lamp generated.

"Who's there?" Junebug squeaked.

"I'm Agent Starshine of the Everfree Border Guard" the stallion replied. He paused a moment before continuing in a businesslike manner. "I need you to tell me what you can remember about the night you were attacked. We think your attacker may have originated from the forest."

"Well, I don't remember much. It all happened so fast," Junebug replied, glancing down at her bed sheets. She remembered hearing of the Everfree Border Guard somewhere, but the memory wasn't recent and she couldn't recall it. "I saw its face just before it bit into my neck. It looked like a pony, only its mouth stretched open wider than it should have… and… fangs filled its mouth. Its pupils were dead black surrounded by glowing red."

The stallion grumbled. "That's quite a bit of information. Anything else?"

"Well, it was covered in dark purple hair," Junebug answered. She shivered and pushed the memories from her mind, instead trying to recall something more pleasant. Thinking of her foalhood, she remembered her high school history class where she'd heard of his organization. "Hey, hold on. The Everfree Border Guard was folded into the Equestria National Guard over two hundred years ago!"

"It was?" the Unicorn sounded quite surprised.

"Yes!" Junebug said. "How are you and why-? Nevermind, just get out of here."

'Starshine' stayed in his shadowy cover, his hooves didn't move. Junebug prepared to repeat her order, louder this time to attract somepony's attention. The Unicorn stepped forward and into the weak lamplight. The glow cast his face in shadows, but Junebug saw his dark purple coat and watched as his green eyes turned black, the white around his pupils clouding over with red. Her cry died in her throat when she met those glaring eyes. Terror overwhelmed her mind and her body froze in place.

"I have a few more questions for you," the creature spoke softly. His eyes stayed locked with hers, but he seemed to see through her. He tilted his head to the side slightly, never breaking eye contact. "Have you told anypony else what you saw of me last night?"

"J-j-just one," Junebug shook and attempted to bundle herself up under the covers. She tried to shut her eyes or turn her head, but her body ignored her commands. Her mouth moved on its own. "Twilight Sparkle checked in with me earlier. She wanted to find out what she could before sending a letter to the Princess."

"The Princess?" he growled. Anger and desperation replaced the softness within his voice. "Who is this Twilight Sparkle and where does she live?"

"She's Celestia's personal student," Junebug replied. "She lives in the town library. Please, she's probably already sent the letter off."

"Hmm," the Unicorn grumbled. He turned around and paced to the wall. Junebug sighed as his gaze released her. She tried to scream, but her mouth only produced a low squeal. Air whooshed as the purple pony spun around. He paced back towards the bed. "I had planned to try and lay low, find out what has changed since my destruction. This complicates things… Have any other ponies been attacked recently?"

He glanced back at Junebug and her body went rigid, her mind numbing. "Twilight told me her friends found Rainbow Dash covered in blood last night, but unharmed. I asked her how Rainbow Dash was doing or if she saw anything. She said Dash was fine and she didn't have anything to contribute to her investigation."

The corners of the creature's mouth curled upwards. "This Rainbow Dash… is a Pegasus with a multicolor mane as befits her name?"

Junebug nodded.

"Excellent," his grin blossomed into a wicked smile. His flat teeth stretched out into gleaming fangs. "Now I have one last thing for you to do before I go…"


	9. Adjustment Period: Emptiness

Dear Readers:

Why do you keep encouraging the man behind this atrocious piece of fiction? He has killed several ponies already and he plans for more death! Your favorite background pony Derpy is craving blood, rather than muffins. Poor, innocent Fluttershy's breaking down because she's a soulless monster. The Apple family's lost a member. My entire life is ruined! You actually call this entertainment? I am shocked and disgusted. If you have any human decency, you'll start demanding that this "writer" stop his wanton degrading of the show you love so. At least, stop encouraging this bloodthirsty monster!

-Rainbow Dash

Chapter 9

Emptiness

Rainbow Dash streaked toward the hospital as fast as her wings could carry her. She rushed because it distracted her. Hard physical exertion helped the Pegasus bury her problems for a while. So she pushed herself faster as if she might outrun her grief. Her wings struck the air, their muscles aching. She kicked off a thatched roof. Tears ran down her eyes and blew off her cheeks into the wind.

She spotted the large tan building, a white sign with a red circle framing a white cross sat on the lawn. Rainbow circled overhead. She didn't want to land and talk to anypony. Her stomach growled as though to remind her of what happened to the last few ponies with whom she spoke.

Taking a deep breath, Rainbow dived to the ground. She landed in front of the main entrance as a light amber unicorn in a white coat stepped outside. Doctor Caramel reared up, startled by her sudden appearance.

"You need to send an ambulance out to the main road into town," Rainbow Dash said, speaking quickly. "Applejack and Big Mac were attacked by whatever got Junebug last night. I'm going to go see if I can track it down."

"Wait, where are they?"

"They're just outside of town," Dash replied. She crouched down and launched back into the air. The Unicorn pony stepped forward and watched as her rainbow trail streaked toward the edge of town.

He turned to gallop back inside and almost collided with a purple stallion stepping through the door.

"Excuse me," he said.

"Is there a problem?" the dark Unicorn asked. He sounded calm and friendly, but the doctor detected a hint of worry, too.

"Two more ponies have been attacked just outside of town," he replied, stepping around the tall stallion. The stranger followed his movements and blocked his path. "What are you doing? I need to get an ambulance!"

Doctor Caramel wasn't a violent pony by nature, but nopony threatened a life on his watch. A single glare from the stranger extinguished his righteous indignation. He whimpered as red replaced the whites of the unicorn's eyes. His hooves felt like they were rooted to the cement and his mouth wielded shut.

"Who reported the attack?" the purple pony asked in a low, menacing tone.

"R-Rainbow Dash," Caramel stuttered.

A grin spread over the pony's muzzle. The doctor caught a glimpse of pointed teeth and his heart skipped a beat. "Which way did she go?"

"Towards the edge of town," he replied.

"Good, now better get that ambulance, we don't want any more ponies dying around here after all," he stepped to the side, Caramel's head turned to follow his gaze. "Oh, one more thing; forget you ever saw me here."

He stepped into the rain and strolled away from the hospital. His black cape billowing in the wind even though his white and grey mane remained styled in a swoop despite the elements. Lightning flashed overhead snapping Caramel back to reality. He rushed back inside and called to the desk nurse.

* * *

><p>"Gaaah!" Derpy Hooves groaned as the last of the carrot cake left her stomach and vomited into the kitchen trash can. It landed atop the orange and red mess that'd vacated her stomach seconds prior. She sat on the cold tile floor with her front legs resting on the trash can's lip. Lightheaded and hungry, the mailpony slumped against it for support. The aftertaste of cake, stomach fluid, and blood coated the inside of her mouth. Carrot Top stood to the side, frowning in sympathy.<p>

"You okay now?" she asked.

"Yeah," Derpy nodded. "I'm really hungry though..."

She glanced at her friend. Her wet hair hung down over her crooked eyes. Her pupils seemed to glow and expand as Carrot Top met her gaze. The Earth pony's thoughts deserted her for a second. Derpy stepped toward the immobilized pony, one eye wandering off to focus on the sink. With Derpy's gaze broken, Carrot Top returned to her senses. She turned to her refrigerator and opened it, not paying any attention to the approaching Pegasus.

"Okay, Derpy, if you're having trouble keeping solid food down, you should drink something," Carrot Top said, rummaging through the fridge. "I think I might have stomach ache medicine around here, but if you're throwing up blood, you should probably check into the hospital."

The grey pony ignored her voice. She licked her lips as she neared the yellow pony's flank. Carrot Top started to turn around and Derpy increased her pace. Her hoof struck a patch of tile slickened with rain water. The Pegasus yelped as her leg slipped out from under her and she careened headfirst into Carrot Top. They slammed into the fridge, knocking over shelves and sending contents on the higher ledges falling down. A cake plopped onto Derpy's head, covering her in vanilla crumbs and white icing. The impact jogged her rational side and she forgot her animal hunger.

"Sorry," Derpy muttered, hovering off her friend's body.

"I swear I don't know how I survived being your friend this long," Carrot Top sighed as she stood up. Nothing hurt, but a mix of soda, juice, and food littered the floor and the bottom of her fridge.

"I'll go get the mop," the airheaded Pegasus said. "I'm just so hungry. I guess I couldn't stay away from the fridge."

"Well… here!" Carrot Top picked out one of the less dented soda cans with her mouth and offered it to her.

Derpy gripped the cylinder between her hooves and popped the tab open with her mouth. A brown geyser sprayed her nose with half of its contents. The can clattered to the floor as she dropped it and snorted. Picking the lightened can up, she set it on the counter and grabbed a towel. She dried her face off. Carrot Top had ignored her brief battle with the soda well used to her antics by now. Derpy took a small sip, afraid more would upset her stomach.

Carrot Top continued to sort through the mess on the floor. Derpy stepped towards her, hooves clopping on the floor. Something drew her towards her friend, a hunger or thirst so faint that the grey pony was barely conscious of it. Her mouth hung open as she breathed in the Earth pony's alluring scent. She smelled like dirt and fresh carrots.

"Don't worry about this, you're sick. I'll clean it up," Carrot Top said. "You should go over to the hospital as soon as this storm stops."

She glanced over her shoulder and Derpy froze. Turing back to the counter, she took another sip of soda. She gulped down the rest of the can, but that didn't quench her thirst, or fill her stomach. Derpy craved something different. She had experienced many different cravings; even possessed a reputation for her strong appetite. (Why everypony thought her favorite food was muffins though she couldn't answer.) Her inability to identify the food her stomach craved puzzled her.

Pain seared through her skull. Memories stirred in her head, visions of glassy red eyes, coldness seeping into her body as she lie pinned against a rooftop. Next, she was stalking through the dark town, ducking between buildings to avoid a crowd of ponies, bumping into a brown pony cutting through the alley. Derpy turned on the young earth pony and sank her teeth into his throat.

Derpy shrieked, clasping her head between her hooves. The sound startled Carrot Top, causing her to drop an egg carton. She hurried over to her friend, calling out and trying to calm down the hysterical Pegasus. Derpy curled up on the floor, still shrieking and gasping in terror. She retched up her soda, spraying a puddle of brown liquid over the floor and part of her front leg.

"Hold on, Derpy," Carrot Top said. "I'll get a doctor, just wait here."

* * *

><p>Dash watched overhead from a low cloud as the ambulance stopped on the side of the road. Applejack and Big Mac lay in the center of the path neither appeared to have moved. A pair of ponies stepped out of the ambulance, a plump, orange Earth pony and a thin, light purple Unicorn. She leaned over the edge of her perch and pricked her ears downward. They leaned over Big Mac, Rainbow heard nothing, but the Unicorn shook his head sadly and they moved onto Applejack. The Pegasus' ears and wings drooped. She had clung to a slim hope that the medical ponies could do something. Her weight shifted and she pitched forward, but a few frantic wing beats pushed her back unto the cloud.<p>

Applejack stirred as the pair examined her. Her head rose and then the rest of her body followed. She swayed on her feet and they reached out to steady her, but she pushed the pair away. She touched her neck and flinched. Applejack's head whipped around her surroundings, she spotted her brother's body and started towards it. The ambulance drivers jumped on her and held her down. Applejack wailed and reached for her sibling.

Rainbow Dash ducked behind her cloud and covered her ears, but she still heard Applejack's anguished cries. She turned around and launched off into the sky, trying to escape the sounds of grief.

With no clear direction, she flew across the sky. Her wings beat the air erratically and she veered off course several times, though the wind had died down to nothing. The rain slowed until a light shower replaced the downpour. She avoided the stormy canopy, afraid of the sunlight above it, and looked for a low cloud to hide on. The Everfree Forest rose into view and Rainbow realized she was nearing Fluttershy's cottage.

Hovering, she sniffled and wiped her eyes with a wing. Her throat tightened as she tried squelching her tears. Fluttershy needed to see her as strong and determined as ever, not as a sobbing wreck. Yeah, Fluttershy needed reassurance.

With her emotions mastered, Rainbow Dash flew onwards. A fresh sense of despair hit her as she neared her destination. She followed the invisible strand that linked her to the distraught Pegasus. As she neared the cottage, her throat choked again and a fresh set of tears rolled down her cheeks. She spent several minutes circling, trying to calm down, but the sadness below prevented that.

"Arrgh! Buck this!" she exclaimed and veered away.

She followed the forest edge in the opposite direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy's sorrow faded as Rainbow Dash flew. Soon, she felt nothing except for her hunger. She growled in annoyance, but preferred facing her bloodthirstiness instead of her remorse.

Rainbow scanned the ground. She needed to find some creature and test her alternate food source theory. Nothing moved on the wet grass below, the storm had chased the animals into their burrows. Some woodland creatures might be out, but she didn't want to wonder back into the Everfree Forest. She decided to try Whitetail Wood instead.

The Wood stood on the opposite side of town. Whitetail contrasted its sister forest in every way. Instead of a suffocating ceiling of plant life, it possessed open space between its trees. The roads and trails through it were well-traveled, instead of abandoned. The denizens were meek and normal forest creatures, rather than savage, hungry monsters (like her).

The blue Pegasus soared over the treetops and, when she thought she'd gone far enough from civilization, dived to the ground. Her red eyes scanned the underbrush, unhindered by the dim light. She sniffed the air. Her animal side stirred as she detected a coppery aroma through the scent of wood and rain water. Drooling, she bounded over a log in pursuit of the scent. She weaved between the trees as she ran, never losing her footing on the uneven ground.

Splotches of red stained the path ahead. Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop and leaned down to sniff the puddle. Her tongue slid out before she realized it and licked the blood. Her shudder started as one of disgust, but turned to pleasure as the taste filled her mouth. Her eyes closed as she savored it. When they snapped open, she spotted the path of splotches leading through the forest. She stepped forward and snapped a stick in half under her hoof, breaking nature's silence. Rainbow paused at the noise, crashing through the forest like that might scare away her quarry. She could get along with healthy animals, but Fluttershy had shown her that wounded creatures didn't trust most ponies. Her prey could be hostile, too. Rainbow's wings opened and she continued on her way a few feet off the ground.

The trail led to a thick bush. Pushing an opening in the leaves, she spotted a red fox lying within. It rested on its side, bleeding from a gash on its front leg. Rainbow assumed it was dead, but it stirred and glanced up at her, hissing and barring its teeth. The Pegasus recoiled, afraid the canine would leap out of the bush, despite its injury. Her eyes flashed red and the fox ceased growling.

_That's handy,_ she thought, reaching in and pulling the tranquil animal out by the scruff of its neck. _Not exactly fair though._

She laid it on the ground. Now, that she had the fox, Rainbow tried to work up the resolve to bite it. The scent of blood permeated the air, but her bestial urges didn't take over. The animal laid still, eyes closed with its injured leg drawn towards its body. Its chest rose and fell slowly.

"It's just a fox," Rainbow told herself. It would just die anyway if she left it go. She glanced around to make sure nopony had wandered into this stretch of woods. Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and bent down. The fox struggled and yipped when her fangs pierced its neck. Dull claws scratched her cheek, but she clamped her jaws tighter and the struggles ceased. Blood flooded into her mouth. It tasted sweet, but morbid recognition made it hard to swallow. She imagined apple cider in its place and that relaxed her gag reflex.

"Ah!" she sighed as the last few drops of blood slid down her throat. Her head rose and she cracked her neck. The gnawing hunger abated, even her thoughts seemed clearer.

A grin spread over her muzzle. Her alternate diet worked. They could live without hurting anypony! She leapt into the air and performed a celebratory loop. Her stomach rumbled when she landed and she groaned, afraid she might throw up. The sensation faded, but Rainbow Dash decided not to risk upsetting her stomach and trotted down the trail at a slow pace.

As she glanced around, she spotted signs of the forest growing back from the long winter. Green shoots poked through the forest floor, flowers budded, and new leaves covered the trees. The scenery added to her cheerfulness, despite the grey light.

The trail ahead forked in two directions. One path led up a rocky path to a dead-end cliff, the other to the wood's boundary and back to Ponyville. She recognized the wooden sign between the fork as the one she reversed to send Applejack off course during the Running of the Leaves. The blue Pegasus stopped and stared at the arrow. Her wings slumped against her side as she thought of her friend.

Rainbow imagined facing the orange pony again; she would be distraught and angry. Dash imagined excuses we'd make for her actions, but nothing justified her weakness, her mistake. If only she were smarter or had more forethought, Big Mac might still be alive.

A shiver passed through her body and she began sweating. Chills wracked her. She locked her wings tight against her sides and kneeled down, bundling up to conserve body heat even as drops of sweat rolled down her forehead. Something wet flowed down the Pegasus' cheeks. Surprised to find herself crying again, Rainbow Dash reached up and touched the warm liquid. Her hoof came away with a drop of blood clinging to it. She gasped and rubbed both legs over her face, smearing her blue fur with crimson streaks. Rainbow screamed as the blood flow from her eyes increased. Her cry sounded muffled to her ears as blood began to leak from them. The taste of copper filled her mouth as her gums bled. She continued to wail in helpless terror as blood poured from every opening in her body.


	10. Adjustment Period: Coming to Light

Chapter 10

Coming to Light

Twilight Sparkle sat on the Library floor. Her head bent over the pages of the book in front of her. A frown creased her muzzle and her attention kept wandering away from reading. She had selected an encyclopedia of untamed animals, hoping to discover some clues to their mysterious predator's identity, but she'd made no progress and her thoughts kept wandering to other worries.

She was considering a magical security system for the Library again when a knock sounded at the door. Marking her page, she set the book on a shelf and walked to the door. "Who's there?"

"Ponyville Police; Sergeant Siren Blare," a gruff voice answered. "We need to ask you a few questions."

The unicorn froze in place. She wondered why the police wanted to see her. She gulped and suppressed the nervous feelings in her stomach. They couldn't be after her she hadn't committed any crimes. Did they know about her investigation into the creature attack? Maybe they wanted to warn her away. Twilight twisted the doorknob. "Please come in, officer."

A tall, muscular stallion stood on her doorstep. His coat and mane both shone dark red. His light blue eyes examined Twilight as he stepped inside. He wore a dark blue raincoat with the hood pulled down. A flashing siren formed his Cutie Mark. A shorter white pony followed him inside. Twilight figured him to be Siren Blare's partner. Both officers lacked horns, and with the loose raincoats on their backs, she couldn't tell if either one were a Pegasus or Earth pony, though she guessed the later.

"Thank you, ma'am," Sergeant Blare said.

"What can I do for you, officers?" Twilight asked. She wished Spike hadn't gone out to restock the quill and ink supplies now. Despite all her research on the subject, she could not brew a decent cup of tea.

"Hospital personnel indicate you were the last pony to speak with Junebug," Siren Blare said. "During your visit, did she behave strangely in anyway?"

Twilight thought for a second and shook her head. "She was very shaken up, but that didn't seem odd after what happened. Why? Is something wrong?"

The red stallion frowned and shifted his attention to the bookshelves. His partner hung back, watching the proceedings from a distance. Their faces shared the same distressed expression. Twilight's eyes widened before they answered.

"Junebug's dead," Siren Blare said, confirming Twilight's fears. "A nurse found her half-an-hour ago. She smashed the bulb in her lamp and sliced herself up."

"Oh, my Celestia," Twilight collapsed onto her tail. She couldn't believe a pony she spoke to a few hours ago had killed herself. Junebug seemed such a cheerful soul, connecting this behavior to the acts she just heard… "No, it doesn't make sense. After she survived an animal attack, why would she kill herself? Who else spoke to her?"

"The records indicate only you and some family members," Siren Blare replied.

"Have you spoken to her family yet?" Twilight asked.

He shook his head. "We wanted to talk with you first. Junebug drew two symbols on the wall before she died."

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a folded sheet of paper and offered it to Twilight. Her purple aura gripped the sheet and held it in front of the unicorn. A large circle stretched across the paper, drawn in black ink. Several jagged triangles sprouted from the bottom and top of the circle's interior. Twilight stared at the drawing for a moment, before she handed it back to Sergeant Blare.

"What was the other symbol?"

He pointed a hoof at her flank. Twilight frowned in confusion, but craned her head around and examined her Cutie Mark. She gasped as the implication sank in. "Why would she draw my Cutie Mark?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," the white pony finally spoke up. He frowned at Twilight, who had just noticed the nightstick on his flank.

"I don't know," Twilight stepped back. Her mind raced, panicked and confused. She glanced around, instinctively searching for an exit, but the police officers stood between her and the door. Her horn glowed, a teleportation spell building. The nightstick pony stepped back, afraid the spell might be dangerous.

"Hold your horses!" Blare exclaimed. His authoritative tone made Twilight freeze and the shower of purple sparks around her horn faded. "We aren't accusing you of anything."

"But-," Twilight gasped. She found herself panting. The stress and near-teleport had combined to exhaust her.

"Any evidence against you is purely circumstantial at the moment," he said. "We _are_ treating this as a murder case. Like you said, it doesn't make sense she would kill herself. We think whoever attacked her last night, returned this morning to finish her off, and did an excellent job of making it look like suicide."

"You don't think it was an animal attack do you?"

He shook his head. "The bite marks indicate an animal, but we haven't found any unusual tracks near the crime scene and we've been unable to match the bite marks to anything."

"Did you question Junebug?" Twilight asked. "You know, before…"

The two ponies shared a glance. Siren Blare frowned and clicked his tongue. "We did not. Our timing was rather unfortunate."

"I asked her about the attack," she said. The two detectives turned their full attention on her. Their intense stares unnerved Twilight for a moment and she cleared her throat, buying time to collect her thoughts. "She described her attacker as a pony with a mouth full of fangs. The pupils of its eyes were dead black with red outlines. Its coat was purple… dark purple."

The white pony arched an eyebrow at her. "That's… an interesting description. A pony like that should be easy to find."

"I don't think so," Twilight replied. "If there's some kind of pony-like creature perpetrating these attacks then it'll be very adept at blending in with its prey."

"Perhaps the murderer simply prefers to wear a mask," Blare said. "There's no reason to assume this is anything more than a common serial killer."

Twilight frowned and stepped toward the nearest bookshelf. She pretended to scan its contents as she thought. Something inside her gut told her Siren Blare was wrong, maybe she'd dealt with too many monsters and demigods, but this didn't feel like a normal crime to her. Pushing for a supernatural explanation might seem suspicious to the police, especially if they were considering her as a suspect, but she decided to speak her mind. "No, we should assume the killer is more than just a pony. What other explanation is there for Junebug's strange suicide?"

"Unicorn magic," Siren Blare said, and then grimaced as though he hadn't intended to speak aloud. "Do you know of any spell that can-?"

"No!" Twilight interrupted. "I know of nothing like that."

Except for the Want-It Need-It spell. She wished she'd never learned that one, or picked up the spell book from that shady Canterlot vendor. Fortunately, after she realized just what the book taught, she'd burnt it and sworn never to use any of the spells in it. With one exception, she'd kept that vow.

A hoof banged against the door. All three ponies jumped at the sound and shifted their gaze to the exit.

"Is Sergeant Blare there?" a voice hollered from outside.

"Yes, what is it?" the red stallion called as he moved towards the door.

"There's been another victim and we have a witness, but she's not talking."

"Who is it?" Siren Blare asked.

"Applejack. The victim is her brother."

* * *

><p>Carrot Top left Derpy at the house and cantered toward the hospital. When Derpy passed out, Carrot Top had hauled her chubby flank onto the couch. The grey pony muttered and groaned in her sleep, but at least, she'd stopped screaming. Carrot Top considered calling a neighbor over, but decided not to bother anypony.<p>

The Earth pony didn't exercise much, but she kept in better shape than her friend did and knew how to pace herself. Dark clouds covered the sky, but the rain and thunder had stopped. The wet grass squelched under her rain boots. A cool breeze swept between the buildings, but her raincoat kept her warm.

When she reached the hospital, she found a small herd of ponies surrounding the entrance. Carrot Top slowed to a walk and pushed through the crowd. The ponies ignored her for the most part and shouted questions towards the building's entrance. They all wore press hats and carried either a camera or a pencil and notepaper. She squeezed through a pair of Pegasi and approached the hospital entrance. Two stallions in dark blue police uniforms stood in front of the door. The nearest of the pair stepped forward to meet her.

"Do you need medical attention?" he asked in a curt, businesslike manner.

"I need a doctor to examine my friend at my house," Carrot Top replied, nervously grinding a hoof against the cement.

The stallion nodded and stepped aside. The orange-haired pony muttered her thanks and stepped into the hospital lobby. She glanced over her shoulder at the crowd of reporters and wondered why they had flocked to the hospital. The curiosity disappeared as she remembered her mission.

Walking up to the counter, Carrot Top tried to stop the nervous twitching of her tail and the rapid beating of her heart. She needed Derpy to be okay, the cross-eyed pony was almost like her little sister. She spoke to the nurse, a pink-maned white mare. "I need somepony to examine a friend of mine."

"You need a house call?" Nurse Redheart asked. Carrot Top nodded. "Can you describe your friend's symptoms?"

"She can't keep food down and her throw-up has blood in it," she replied. "I'm not sure, but she might be delirious, too. She started screaming and then passed out."

"Oh, dear," the white mare said. "I'll go get a doctor right away."

She left the desk at a fast walk and Carrot Top sat down to wait. Her hoof continued to grind its way into the floor. The nurse returned in a few seconds accompanied by a light grey stallion with a short black mane and grey eyes. The martini glass complete with olive that covered his flank caused Carrot Top pause, but he seemed to be trotting a straight line. He wore a pair of white saddle bags emblazoned with a red cross.

"This is Doctor Hawkeye," Nurse Redheart said.

"Hi, how are you doing?" he asked, placing a leg forward.

"_I'm _fine," Carrot Top replied, quickly shaking his hoof. "Sorry, but I really want to get back, I left Derpy all by herself after she passed out."

"Let's saddle up then," Hawkeye grinned.

Carrot Top groaned and led the way out of the lobby. Outside the police had moved the reporters back. The herd now stood behind a line of observant, uniformed officers. Hawkeye asked the direction of her house, Carrot Top pointed and dashed off. The doctor charged after her.

He asked the yellow pony several more questions about Derpy's health as he tried to keep pace with her. Carrot Top related the whole story of how she saw the mail pony wandering in the rain and invited her inside, gave her lunch, and then watched as she threw everything back up. She described Derpy's collision with the fridge and her subsequent freak out.

"It scared the carrot juice out of me!" she exclaimed as they stepped onto her porch. Twisting the knob, she pushed the door open. She hung her raincoat on the coat stand and kicked off her boots. They walked through the kitchen into her living room.

Green wallpaper covered the four walls of the room. Carrots decorated the field of green. A brown carpet covered the floor. Her light green couch sat in the middle of the room with a polished brown coffee table in front of it. As Carrot Top flicked on the ceiling light, the illumination revealed the vacant space on the couch. The yellow pony scanned the room. "Derpy? Derpy Hooves, where are you?"

Something plopped behind her and Doctor Hawkeye grunted in disgust. She turned around and saw a white glob splattered across his forehead. Carrot Top recognized it as the icing from her carrot cake. Another glob dropped onto the back of Hawkeye's neck. He glanced upwards and his mouth dropped open. She followed his gaze.

Derpy Hooves hung from the ceiling above them. Her hind legs somehow gripped the smooth surface, her wings wrapped around her upper body like a cocoon. Icing still covered her blonde hair and a thick strand of drool hung from her mouth. She raised her head and stared down at them with huge, pale yellow eyes. Her lips drew back, baring a pair of pointed fangs. The two Earth ponies stared at her in a combination of horror and disbelief. Derpy's wings spread and she dropped, crashing down front hooves first onto Hawkeye's back.

The impact knocked him down, banging his chin off the floor. The grey Pegasus wrapped a leg under his neck and wrenched up his head. He sputtered for air. Derpy plunged her fangs into the side of his throat, growling in satisfaction.

"Stop that!" Carrot Top exclaimed, stepping forward to wrestle her friend away from the doctor. Derpy swung her free leg and struck her across the cheek. It felt like a strike from a cast-iron frying pan, rather than a flesh-and-blood pony. Carrot Top crashed onto her coffee table, splitting it in half. The Earth pony groaned and dropped her head to the side, dazed. Her vision blurred, and the sound of Derpy's groaning and growling faded.

Her vision began to clear as hoof steps approached her. She tried to sit up, but a hard shove to her chest forced her down. Derpy's leering face came into view as she climbed on top of Carrot Top, pinning her down. Red stained the hair around her muzzle. The Pegasus lowered herself down and licked Carrot Top's cheek. Her tongue was wet with blood and left a red trail on her fur. A shiver shot through the Earth pony's body. Fear and confusion clouded her mind, she tried to force Derpy off, but her weight clamped down like a vice. The grey pony's mouth drifted towards her neck and her frantic mind blurted out the first thought that came to it.

"Come on, Derpy! We tried this back in high school and we both agreed it was just too weird!"

The bite pierced her neck near the shoulder, making her yelp. The pain faded along with every other sensation in her body. She couldn't feel her legs and soon couldn't move them either. Her tongue grew heavy in her mouth and just lifting her head seemed to take all her strength. Her chin brushed against something soft and yielding, one of Derpy's ears. Carrot Top gasped and clamped her jaws down on it. Derpy screeched in pain, Carrot Top barely felt the fangs leave her neck. Sensation returned to her body, but she couldn't move her limbs yet, so she clung to Derpy Hooves' ear. The angry Pegasus thrashed and screeched as she tried to pull free. Her ear slipped loose and she dropped over backwards.

Carrot Top stumbled upright, her legs shook and she reeled forward, but managed to regain her footing before she crashed back down. She spotted Hawkeye lying on the floor, blood flowing into the carpet around his throat. Derpy sat up and blinked, her crooked eyes morphed back to normal. Blood dripped from the bite marks in her left ear and Carrot Top registered a coppery taste in her mouth. Gasping, she spat it out.

"Ugh, what happened?" Derpy asked, touching her injured ear.

The Earth pony spun around and planted a kick in Derpy's confused face. The grey pony swayed from side to side before dropping to the floor with a loud thud. Carrot Top exhaled a sigh of relief.

* * *

><p>The Whitetail Wood took on a dreary aura after the thunderstorm. Branches hung from the trees, broken by the gale of the wind. Smaller sticks littered the ground. Rainwater turned the trail muddy. The blank white sky cast dark shadows beneath the treetops.<p>

Fly Fisher barely noticed the destruction around him as he trekked through the forest. The tan earth pony wore a fishing hat ringed with flies and hooks, a white vest, and two saddlebags containing his fishing equipment. A fishing rod hung over his shoulder. A red and yellow fly decorated his flank. He whistled as he walked.

His colt, a dark brown earth pony named Radar, followed him. Radar wore a dark green wool cap along with a set of saddlebags and carried his own fishing pole. He only reached his father's mid-neck in height. His Cutie Mark was a dark gray circle with a green line sweeping over it.

They trotted along the trail from their campsite towards the stream. The Fisher family arrived the day before and planned to stay until the end of the week. Fly worried when the storm hit that morning and hoped the Ponyville weather patrol hadn't planned for terrible weather all week. When the storm ended, he'd felt a childish burst of joy and gathered their fishing gear.

The walk from their campground to Fly Fisher's favorite stretch of stream took several minutes, but he didn't mind the exercise. In fact, he planned to retire to Ponyville someday and spend his twilight years fishing and hiking in the Whitetail Wood.

"Uh-oh," Radar's high-pitched voice interrupted Fly's imaginings of a thatch-roofed house with a white picket fence.

"What? Did you forget something?" the old stallion stopped and glanced at his son.

Radar pointed ahead. Fly followed his hoof and spotted a crumpled sky blue form lying on the trailside. Rainbow hair decorated the stranger's head and a pair of wings splayed around its body. Streaks of red covered the brightly colored pony and streams of blood pooled around it. The Pegasus' side rose and fell as it breathed.

"Stay here," he told Radar before stepping forward. He approached the blue pony slowly. Its short muzzle made him think it was a mare, albeit a very muscular one. No wounds covered her body; rather the blood seemed to leak out of her eyes, ears, nose, and every other opening. The coppery smell permeated his nostrils as he stood over her. His stomach turned at the scent. "Excuse me, can you hear me?"

The mare groaned and twitched a leg. Her eyes blinked open, revealing huge dark red irises. Fly Fisher's eyes widened in surprise before the Pegasus lunged and sank her teeth into his ankle. He screamed in pain and reared back, but she clung to his leg with a death grip.

"Dad!" Radar shouted.

"Stay back!" Fly ordered.

He raised his free leg over the Pegasus' head, but she yanked on his leg, flipping him onto his side as she rolled upright. Her fangs ripped free of his skin in the tumble, leaving a large gash. She hissed and bared her crimson-stained teeth at him. Radar yelled as he charged at the creature. She ducked as he reached them, hooked her head and neck under his body, and bucked him over her shoulder into a tree trunk. He yelped as he struck the hard bark and then again, when he dropped to the ground. The colt groaned and didn't rise back to his feet.

The feral pony turned her attention back to Fly Fisher. The stallion had crawled a few inches away with his torn ankle. She stepped after him and slammed a hoof down on his back, eliciting a loud crack from his spine. He screamed in pain, prompting a sadistic smirk from his tormentor. Rainbow Dash ground her hoof into his back as she leaned down and sank her fangs into the side of his neck. She thrashed her head and tore a huge wound in his flesh, a tide of blood washed into her mouth. Her gums stopped burning and her muscles ceased shaking as she snorted down Fly Fisher's life fluid. A cooling, pleasurable sensation filled her body, prompting her to moan. Her jaws released Fly's neck; the earth pony lay on the ground dead before Rainbow finished feeding. The relief faded and her hunger returned, so she started towards the unconscious colt.

A dark purple unicorn stepped out from behind a tree and approached the trail. Rainbow Dash froze and glared at the newcomer. The unicorn wore a black cape over a red suit vest. His Cute Mark showed a boutique of red roses. He picked his way through the mud and leaves with careful steps, shooting an amused glance at the unconscious colt. "Well, you have some spunk, I'll give you that."

Rainbow Dash hissed at him and prowled forwards, crouched low like a cat. The unicorn raised an eyebrow before sighing. "Still hungry?"

He raised a leg to his mouth and bit his ankle, opening up a long scratch. The dark pony held out the bleeding limb to the snarling Pegasus. Her eyes flickered to the cut, her mouth gaped open, and then she lunged forward. She wrapped her front legs around his arm and sucked hard on the cut.

"I forgot how demanding you young ones are," he commented, gritting his teeth as Rainbow's fangs dug into his skin. "That's it, good girl."

The unicorn whistled as the blood drained from his arm. When none of her memories flashed through his mind, he frowned. "You little… You've already ascended?"

He pulled his leg away, but Rainbow clamped her jaws down tighter and grunted possessively. His horn flashed black and searing pain pierced her forehead. She opened her mouth to screech and the dark pony drew away. The Pegasus dropped to her knees as the unicorn glared down at her. He sighed and the black aura vanished. Rainbow Dash groaned and rubbed a hoof against her throbbing skull.

"Are we coherent now?"

The alarmed Pegasus shot an alarmed glance at the strange pony in front of her. She leapt into the air and hovered a few feet away. "Who are you?"

"I have been called many names, but you may call me Purple Haze," he replied with a slight bow.

Rainbow frowned in confusion, before glancing down at her blood-covered body. She shrieked in horror and spun around, spotting the body lying on the ground behind her. "Ohmigosh, ohmigosh!"

"Relax, I can make sure nopony ever finds them," Purple Haze said calmly. He stepped forward and reached up to place a reassuring hoof on Rainbow's shoulder.

She shoved him backwards and spun around to face him. Tears washed at her blood-streaked cheeks. "What are you talking about? Who are you?"

The purple stallion smirked, showing a mouthful of sharpened teeth as his eyes flashed black and red. Rainbow's heart stopped and she almost dropped out of the sky when she forgot to beat her wings. Her mouth gaped open in surprise.

Purple Haze's horn glowed and snapped Rainbow's mouth shut as he stepped past her. He glanced down and examined Fly Fisher's body.

"You're the one that…" Rainbow gasped and spun around. She rose onto her hind legs and swung a kick at the back of his head. Her hoof passed through empty air as the pony burst into a purple cloud. The mist drifted a few feet away and reformed into Purple Haze, who shook his head at her.

"Don't… ever try anything like that again," he said with a grave expression on his face. "I've killed ponies for less than that."

"You've ruined my life!" Rainbow Dash bellowed at him.

"Have I?" he asked with an exaggeratedly quizzical frown. "First, let me point this out to you; I wasn't myself when I bit you. Reforming after a hundred odd years as a pile of ash tends to make a pony hungry and you should know all about hungry by now, young lady. If I had been in control, I would have drained you and killed you, instead of moving onto the next meal. So consider yourself lucky."

The Pegasus gasped and sputtered. She couldn't believe how bluntly this unicorn spoke of killing her. She gritted her teeth and snorted. "Oh, yeah? I'd like to see you try and take me in a fair fight."

"Perhaps we'll attempt that later. I could have killed you just now while you were in the feral throes of bloodlust, but I didn't," he continued. "The fact is, I'm behind the times right now and you could be very helpful to me. In exchange, I can help you control your darker side and teach you how to survive in your new state."

Rainbow Dash stared at him. She distrusted this strange creature already, but his offer to help her seemed too good to pass up. "How can you help me?"

"Well, first, I can tell you that animal blood is not a good idea," he shook his head. "If this sorry buck hadn't wandered across you, you'd probably have died. Pony blood is best, but you can make due with donkey or cow as well."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in horror. "What? You mean I've got no choice, but to kill other ponies and make more of… us?"

"No, if you kill them before draining all their blood, or release your hold on their throat, and let them die of blood loss, they won't come back as more of us," he replied as though they were discussing the weather. He glanced back at her latest victim's neck. "Wounds such as that often prevent regeneration as well."

"Then Big Mac's not…" Rainbow glanced away. She stared into the depths of the forest. She wiped a leg over her eyes as she sniffled.

Purple Haze paused and considered the blue Pegasus. Ordinarily, he chose ponies without family or friends to turn. Connections to your mortal life just made things hard; he was so relieved all his family had died. He reconsidered killing her, but she reminded him too much of somepony…

"It's probably better if he doesn't come back," he said. Rainbow frowned at him. His face remained an emotionless mask. "Most can't handle the change."

"I'm sorry…" Rainbow growled. "Was that you trying to be comforting? Cause you suck at it. I killed him. Okay? It's my fault he's dead. It's my…"

Tears choked her voice and she spun around so Purple Haze couldn't see her crying. He walked over and stood next to her as she tried to control her emotions. She shot a glare in his direction, wishing she could shout blame and hate at him, but her voice failed her at that moment.

"I suppose I've witnessed too much death for it to bother me anymore," Purple Haze said. He frowned as something drew his attention. "Hold on…"

Rainbow Dash turned and watched him trot toward the trees. A dark brown colt lay amongst the roots of a tree. Dash hadn't noticed him, but guessed he had accompanied the older pony she had killed in her animal rage. He groaned and rubbed his head as Purple Haze stopped next to him. Rainbow's eyes widened in horror as he knelt over the colt and opened his mouth, his jaws closed around the back of Radar's neck, and he twisted hard. Rainbow flinched as she heard the snap.

He wiped his mouth off with a handkerchief from his vest pocket and turned back to her. "Now, what were we talking about? Oh, right. Death… It's never easy for mortals to deal with, I guess."

* * *

><p>Sorry for the wait, bronies. Have an extra long chapter for the trouble. Also, I'm going to assume most of you know about General Zoi's pony creator (if not you should be able to search it out on deviantart.) Anyway, I've created a pretty accurate representation of Purple Haze and vampire Rainbow Dash with it. I'd post the codes for the characters here, but the site has a 'helpful' auto-correcting feature that deletes them. So I'll put the codes on Zoi's pony code compilation page for those that want to take the time to find them.<p>

One more thing, after the reaction Rainbow's Rant got from everybody, I'm considering doing an ask Pony blog for vampire Rainbow Dash and I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks of this idea. (And if anyone's interested in doing the art for such a project...)


	11. Blood Relatives: Fatherly Advice

Chapter 11

Fatherly Advice

"I suppose I frighten you," Purple Haze commented as he stopped in front of her. The stained handkerchief tucked back into his vest pocket.

Rainbow Dash took an involuntary step away. Her bravado had disserted her after witnessing the cold, casual manner with which Haze killed. Her frightened heartbeats pulsed in her ears and she wandered if the monstrous unicorn heard the sound, too. Her lips twitched as she tried and failed to put on a brave face.

"You'll grow accustomed to it," he said. "If you don't kill, then eventually one of the vampires you spawn in your rampant feeding will remember some detail about you and reveal your existence to the Princess."

"You expect me to get used to killing?" Rainbow snapped out of her terrified stupor. She glared at the pony in front of her, her wings spread out, her head lowered, and she pawed the ground with a hoof. "I'm not some crazy psycho like you."

"You're a predator now," he said, eyeing her with a calm, almost bored, expression. He drew his lip back to display a gleaming white fang. "You've killed at least two ponies so far. Can you really say you're so different from me?"

His accusations caused Rainbow Dash to look away. Her shoulders shuddered and her ears drooped. It was impossible to argue with him, she had killed without discrimination. Tears welled up in her eyes; the seductive tangy taste lingered on her tongue, a morbid reminder of her hunger.

Purple Haze stepped closer, reaching a leg out to her, but Rainbow jumped away, assuming he meant to restrain her. She suppressed her terror and grief and focused all of her self-loathing into a death glare directed at him. "Let me tell you one thing; I might have uncontrollable urges, but the real me hasn't killed anypony. I'm not an immoral jerk who'll snap somepony's neck because it's easier!"

"Then you won't last long," Purple Haze growled. He took a step towards her and the pair locked eyes. His cool, blank face hovered inches from Rainbow's angry scowl. The unicorn smelled of roses mingled with the sweet scent of blood. She wanted to fly away, but forced her wings to remain motionless. "You can't hypnotize somepony to forget an attack. You can give orders, but a clever pony can work around even the most iron-clad command."

* * *

><p>"Applejack?" Twilight stepped into the brightly lit hospital room. The farm pony sat upright on the bed nearest the window, staring out at the grey sky. Nopony occupied the other bed. She spun around when Twilight called her name, a frightened expression on her face. The fear melted from her features when she saw the lavender unicorn, but a deep sadness lingered.<p>

Applejack pushed off the bed and galloped to her friend, throwing her front hooves around her neck. Twilight grunted and almost collapsed under the sudden weight. The earth pony rested her head against her shoulder and sobbed softly. A bandage covered the side of AJ's neck.

"I'm so sorry," Twilight said, close to sobbing herself.

"Why'd she do it, Twi?" Applejack whispered. Her body trembled, rocked by sorrow and anger. "How could she?"

"Who? Who did it, AJ?" Twilight asked, drawing away from her, but keeping her hooves on the earth pony's shoulder.

The police had sent her in, since none of their officers could get a straight answer from the witness. Twilight doubted anypony could have kept her from trying to comfort her friend and would've argued if they'd tried to keep her away.

"It was-," she started to speak, but her mouth clamped shut and her eyes glanced away from Twilight. She mumbled something and fell silent.

"Applejack…"

"I can't-, I can't-," her mouth froze again and the mumbling resumed. Applejack stared at Twilight, making muffled sounds as she seemed to lose the ability to speak. The unicorn's eyes widened in terrified realization.

"You can't talk about it?" Twilight asked.

The orange pony shook her head.

"Hold still," Twilight leaned forward and placed her forehead against Applejack's. A purple glow covered her horn and spread over her friend's head, down her neck, and over the rest of her body. The despelling spell's aura hummed and crackled as it permeated the earth pony's muscular frame. The charm completed, filling the room with a brilliant white flash. Applejack blinked her eyes.

"Mmph! Mmmm!"

"It didn't work," Twilight frowned. "So it's not a spell, or not one I can remove at least. I'm sorry, Applejack."

"We have to do something!" Applejack exclaimed. "I want to tell you what happened, but I can't… She did something to keep me from saying anything about it."

Twilight glanced at the doorway. She saw the hallway outside the room, but no sign of Siren Blare or his partner. Where they listening in from just beyond the doorframe? What would they think of this weird conversation? Twilight closed her eyes and tried to think. Applejack couldn't talk about what happened. Her magic couldn't fix the problem. Could it be the trauma of the event that made her unable to talk about it? No, she would have trouble recalling the event, not talking about it, right? _She can't tell me about it. She can't… talk about it!_

"I'll be right back," the purple pony turned and dashed into the hospital hall. She glanced around and spotted Siren Blare a few feet down the hall. He was talking with his partner and another police pony, a unicorn. Now that the pair had removed their raincoats, she could see that Siren Blare was an earth pony and his partner, Beatstick, a Pegasus. They drew back as Twilight skidded to a stop in front of them.

"I need a pen and a sheet of paper," Twilight demanded.

They glanced at each other.

"Do you want a sketch artist?" Beatstick asked.

"Just a pen and paper," Twilight repeated.

Siren Blare nodded and tapped his hoof against the hard floor. The third police pony levitated a clipboard to Twilight. She grabbed it with her magic and hurried back to Applejack's room.

"I've got an idea!" she exclaimed as she stepped inside. Applejack jumped at her voice, she had returned to the bed and resumed staring out the window. She slid around to face Twilight, who sat the clipboard on the dresser next to her. "You can try drawing your attacker."

"I can't draw very well," Applejack said, after doubtfully glancing at the paper. "Most earth ponies can't."

"I know that. Just…" Twilight paused. "Draw the murderer's Cutie Mark!"

"Okay," Applejack nodded. Twilight pulled the pen out of the clipboard and offered it to her. She bit hold of the end and leaned over the dresser. She began scribbling.

Twilight paced at the foot of the bed. Despite everything, she felt relieved at finally identifying the killer. If only she had tracked them down sooner… Applejack raised her head and Twilight walked over to see her drawing. Relief turned into shock. She gasped at the sloppy, but recognizable cloud with a tri-colored thunderbolt hanging out of it. She stumbled back, reeling as if struck.

"That's impossible!" she exclaimed, turning to Applejack. "That's not funny, AJ!"

"It ain't a joke," Applejack said, dropping the pen.

"It's impossible," Twilight repeated, shaking her head. Her eyes met the other pony's green orbs, and stayed locked with them as though staring hard would somehow make Applejack change her story.

"You know me, Twilight," Applejack said. Her crying had stopped and she wore a grim, determined expression. "I wouldn't make up a story like this."

Silence overtook the room. Twilight Sparkle grabbed the clipboard and examined it. Rainbow Dash's Cutie Mark still covered the page no matter how she looked at it. After a glance at the door, she pulled the sheet loose and crumpled it up. She turned towards the small trashcan next to the bed, but stopped herself from throwing it away. The police might search the room. Twilight realized how paranoid the thought sounded, but she couldn't risk evidence against her friend coming to light until she had a chance to investigate. The unicorn pointed her horn at the crumpled ball and concentrated. The paper vanished with a white flash, teleported to the extent of Twilight's range with the spell. It should pop back into existence at her house.

"What are you going to do?" Applejack asked.

Twilight heaved a heavy sigh. "I'll investigate Rainbow Dash. I don't think it was her, if this thing could keep you from talking about the attack, maybe it messed up your memory, too."

"My memory's fine," Applejack said. "You need to be careful. She's dangerous and you shouldn't go near her all by yourself. You should tell the police."

"I'm not telling the police until I'm sure about your story," Twilight said.

"Story? I'm your friend!"

"So's Rainbow Dash. She's your friend, too! We can't accuse her of something like this without further investigation."

Applejack frowned. Her expression showed no traces of sadness, instead stubborn determination combined with a furious glint in her eyes. Twilight had never seen Applejack or anypony look as dangerous as she did during that single moment. "You mark my words; she's not my friend anymore. I don't think she's anypony's friend."

Her words made Twilight Sparkle shiver. The unicorn wondered just what her friend had witnessed. Her eyes darted to the bandage on AJ's neck. "I'm not giving up. I'm going to solve this." _For everypony's sake._

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash snarled at the purple pony. She resisted the urge to karate chop his head open. The creature frightened her, instincts yelled at her to flee. Something unnatural boosted his terrifying presence. At the same time, her temper burned hotter than it ever had in her mortal life.<p>

"I'm not going to kill anypony," she repeated. "I'm not going to turn against my own kind."

"They're not your kind anymore," Purple Haze explained. He sat down and Dash exhaled as the suffocating pressure on her heart lessened. "Even your best friends will turn against you if they find out."

"No! They…" her protests died in her mouth as she remembered Applejack's actions. She stepped back and dropped onto her rump. She stared at the ground, tears brimming in her eyes.

Purple Haze leaned forward and nuzzled her forehead. The gesture reminded Rainbow of her father a bit and she found herself leaning against his muzzle, glad for any sort of comfort offered. "I'm sorry if you've been betrayed. It happens to all of us."

* * *

><p>Derpy moaned as her eyes fluttered open. She sat in an uncomfortable position; thick strands bound her chest, wings, and legs. She tried to lift a foreleg and found it tied to a chair arm. With a gasp, the grey pony's eyes widened and she began struggling. The ropes stretched and the wooden chair shook, but the restraints held against her thunderous thrashing.<p>

The floor creaked, attracting her gaze to the other pony in the room. Carrot Top stood near the living room's exit, one leg raised off the ground as if to flee. Derpy tensed up and glanced around the room for some sign of danger. An equine shape lay in front of the couch, a pool of blood flowed from the body's neck. Her heart lodged in her throat.

"Carrot Top, what are you doing? Untie me!" Derpy exclaimed, renewing her struggles. Fear for her life gave her a surge of strength and this time the ropes snapped loose.

The terrified earth pony turned and ran into the kitchen, heading for the outside. Derpy zipped after her, wings pulsing furiously at her sides. She swooped in front of Carrot Top and blocked the screen door.

"Hold on!"

Carrot Top spun around and doubled back towards the living room. Desperate and frightened, the grey Pegasus leaped after her and crashed onto her back. The pair grunted as they struck the linoleum.

"You're not gonna eat me, you crazy-!"

"What are you talking about?" Derpy yelped as Carrot Top bucked hard and flung her off. She crashed into the wall and dropped to the floor. She moaned and rubbed her head. Hooves clopped across the floor in her direction. Glancing upwards, she saw her friend looming over her, a kitchen knife clamped between her teeth. She must've grabbed it off the table. The orange pony's sides heaved. Derpy's mismatched eyes widened in terror.

Carrot Top's hard gaze softened into an expression of doubt and her grip on the knife loosened. Derpy raised her head, moving slowly so as not to startle her insane friend. She spotted the bite marks on the earth pony's neck.

"Who did that?" the Pegasus whispered, pointing at the red circle of dots with her tail tip.

A look of bewilderment then anger spread over Carrot Top's face. Her mouth opened and the knife clattered against the tile. "Who did this? You did! Don't try to play innocent here!"

Derpy's head pressed against the wall as she tried to retreat from the earth pony's enraged scowl. She mumbled a confused reply as agony permeated the inside of her skull. Memories flashed through her mind and Derpy Hooves shrieked in horror at the bloody acts she remembered performing.

"Wrrrreeeeee!"

Carrot Top stepped back, her heart thundered as the eerie wail filled the house. She glanced at the kitchen door than back to the thrashing, screaming Pegasus. Something moved at the edge of her vision, she turned her head in time to see Hawkeye lunging for her. The doctor slammed into her and they crashed into the table. The wooden plateau slid across the room and lodged against the counter, pinning Carrot Top against the hard edge and the crushing force the feral pony placed on her. His eyes had expanded into near white orbs of lifelessness and a pair of fangs extended from his teeth.

"Oh, carrot sticks!"

She tried to throw her weight against her captor, but the grey stallion's thin body possessed incredible strength. A pair of sharp points pressed against her neck. The earth pony gasped and flailed her legs uselessly.

"Help! Somepony help!" she screamed as pain lanced through her throat. The feeling became numb and far away. She felt a tremor run through Hawkeye's body as something crashed onto his back, then a shock of pain as he was wrenched away, his fangs forcefully torn from her neck. Blood splattered across the kitchen floor. Her legs buckled as fatigue and fear overwhelmed her.

Derpy Hooves grunted as she clung to the earth pony's back and beat her wings, pulling him off the floor. Hawkeye kicked wildly, a hoof almost smashing Carrot Top's nose in. With a roar of feral rage, Derpy spun in the air, building up momentum, before she released her grip and flung her captive at the kitchen window. Glass and wood shattered as the doctor burst through it.

Derpy glared out the window, her sides heaving in and out as she breathed. Her eyes glowed flat yellow in the dim light, before they shrank and her pupils faded back into existence.

"Are you okay?" she asked her friend.

The stunned Carrot Top nodded, pulling herself onto her hooves. She saw Derpy staring at her neck and felt the warm liquid flowing through her coat. The Pegasus licked her lips, tasting the crimson stain covering her muzzle. She smacked her lips for a moment, before her eyes widened and her body stiffened.

"What's this stuff on my face?"

"Blood," Carrot Top replied, surprised her voice sounded so detached when her insides twisted up and threatened to explode outward into manic sobbing and panic.

Tears began streaming from Derpy's eyes as the Pegasus collapsed against the wall. "I don't know what just happened…"

* * *

><p>"It's not completely hopeless," Purple Haze said, stroking his spawn's multicolored hair. "There's a way to make your family and friends accept you."<p>

"How?" she asked, staring up at him with tears in her eyes. "How can anypony ever accept me now?"

"You transform them into more of us," he replied. "Once, you've done that, if you let them drink your blood, they'll be yours to control and their power will add to your own."

"What? I can't do that!" she exclaimed, shoving the vampire away.

"You've already done it," Haze said, growing annoyed with her. "You've fed one of your spawn and ascended to become a vampire lord. If you hadn't done that, I'd have been able to do the same to you."

"You wanted to control me?" Rainbow shouted spreading her wings and raising her front legs off the ground in a boxer pose.

"For your own good," he stepped closer, ignoring her fighting stance. "It takes a lot of burden off a spawn to have a strong lord's will restraining their guilt, keeping them in the right mindset... Most can't survive otherwise, like you clearly won't survive without my help."

"Help this!" Dash leapt forward and drove a hoof into his muzzle. His nose cracked and he reeled backwards, dropping onto his side. "Ha!"

"You're being quite disagreeable when I'm only trying to help you," he said, his voice quiet and cold, devoid of any shred of kindness now. Rainbow gasped as he stood up. Blood poured from his nostrils in thin lines, the only indication of her punch. His pupils shrank into red dots surround by an ocean of black. His smooth voice became a high-pitched screech as his teeth sharpened into fangs. "Just remember you made me do this…"

Strands of thorny vines burst out of the unicorn's back and surged towards Rainbow Dash. She screamed in surprise before the tendrils wrapped around her throat and choked her cries. The thorns punctured her soft skin as they tightened. She reared back; Purple Haze gasped in surprise and stumbled forward. Flapping her wings, Rainbow leapt upwards and pushed against the air, ignoring the noose tightening around her throat. The lack of air didn't seem to bother her new undead body. The unicorn's hooves somehow clung to the ground, almost like he'd grown roots. A sharp yank pulled her downwards, but she grabbed a length of the thorny strands in her teeth and pulled, taking some pressure off her neck and gaining more leverage. This surreal tug of war lasted for a few seconds longer, before Haze released his hold on the ground. Dash yelped as all her momentum suddenly lost its counter-resistance and she shot wildly through the air, her back crashing against a tree trunk. Purple Haze flew after her, propelled by the same momentum though his vines. He lowered his head. A wet squelch filled Rainbow's ears as the unicorn's horn pierced her throat.

She gasped as blood filled her mouth, her wound began healing, trying to close around the horn lodged in her neck. Purple Haze's limbs clamped down on hers and more vines sprouted from his back entangling her body and the tree, trapping her against the trunk.

"I won't kill you," Purple Haze hissed. He lifted his head slightly, making Rainbow cry out as his horn scraped against her insides. "Consider this a warning, accept my help or stay out of my way, but know that if you interfere with my plans, I will kill you next time. We're not indestructible and I've had years of practice eliminating young upstarts like yourself."

"Aaaahhhh!" Rainbow screamed as he pulled his horn free and stepped back, the vines retracting into his body until he looked like a normal pony again. The Pegasus dropped to the ground, blood spraying from the hole in her neck. The animal hunger bubbled up in her brain again, forcing her to frantically lick the spray of red off the forest floor. Blood and dirt filled her mouth and choked down her healing throat, most of it flooding back out of her wound. After an eternity of agony, the hole in her neck closed up and she regained her rational thoughts, including awareness of the unpleasant earthy aftertaste on her tongue.

When she looked up, Purple Haze had vanished. She whipped her head around, wildly scanning the trees for some sign of the vampire. She saw nothing. Whimpering, she gathered herself up and started towards her house.


	12. Blood Relatives: The Spark

Chapter 12

The Spark

Carrot Top tried to ignore the quiet sobs emanating from her living room. She focused on cleaning up the crushed cans and splattered food on her kitchen floor. The rhythmic pushes of the mop in her mouth distracted her. She couldn't think about the blood and biting. The tarp she had taped over her broken window flapped as the wind tried to tear it free. The faucet dripped water into the sink. She didn't hear the rustling and plinking, all that mattered right now was the mess.

She focused so much on her work, that she neither heard Derpy stop crying, nor the hoofsteps nearing her. Derpy clearing her throat got her attention. The earth pony dropped the mop with a yelp and whirled to face her, eyes wide with terror.

"Stay back!" Carrot Top exclaimed, holding out a hoof.

"Um," Derpy lowered her head and stared at the floor. "Could you help me pick Dinky up from school?"

Carrot Top stared at her, her mind unable to process Derpy's request. "What?"

"Well, it's dangerous out there, right now," she glanced at a glass sitting on the counter, seeing her bloody face reflected in it.

"Of course it is. You're the bucking danger!" CT exploded, rearing up on her hind legs, her hooves kicking furiously.

Derpy flinched, her head down and her expression weary. "I-, I just want my little girl to be safe. I can't do that without you there."

"Why? Afraid you'll try eating her?"

The Pegasus continued looking away. A lock of hair fell over her eyes, hiding them from Carrot Top, while her mouth tightened into a bitter frown. "Yes… I am."

"How-? Wha-?" the yellow pony shook her head. Derpy's answer stunned her. "How can you think that? She's your filly for Celestia's sake!"

"You're my best friend and I still almost…" Tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm too dangerous to be around other ponies. I want you to stop me if…"

The tarp and the water continued their diminutive racket as the mares fell silent. Carrot Top opened her mouth, wanting to ask what Derpy meant to imply. She realized there was no point, her intentions were clear.

"What happened to you?" Carrot Top asked. "It looks like you turned the doctor crazy, too. Did somepony do that to you?"

"I can't remember," she replied. "I guess… What if it's like a disease and you catch it?"

Her heart skipped a beat and she stumbled. She turned her neck, the bite wounds stinging as she stretched. She hadn't even thought to clean them out.

"I'm so sorry."

"Hold on," she said. "We don't know for sure if anything'll happen to me."

How often did she find herself reassuring Derpy whenever the grey pony found herself in trouble? It seemed like every day. From her ruining their banana rocket science project in school to the disastrous fling that led to Dinky Hooves' birth, Carrot Top stuck with her through it all.

"Come on, let's go pick up Dinky."

"Really? You'll help me?" Derpy raised her head, tears flying from her cheeks.

Carrot Top forced a smile. "No choice, it's become a habit by now."

* * *

><p>"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight Sparkle stood beneath her friend's large cloud house. She stared upwards, hollering at the top of her lungs. Tinges of grey colored the fluffy white tower. Normally, the house's owner would've drained the dark tint out of the walls by now. "Rainbow, if you're in there, I need to talk to you!"<p>

She waited for the energetic Pegasus to race outside and loop de loop before landing in front of her with a cocky grin on her face, or a sleepy head topped with disheveled multicolor hair to lean over the edge and complain about somepony interrupting her morning nap. The wind howled but no answer came from Rainbow Dash.

Twilight glanced around. The bitter cold air pierced her thin coat, making her shiver. Ponyville's cottages stood visible in the distance, just a few minutes trot away, but that could be too far… Twilight shook her head, dismissing her paranoia as silly. Surely, nothing would attack her in the middle of the day, just outside of town. Thunder rumbled in the distance making the purple pony jump along with her nerves.

Why did Rainbow have her home outside the town limits? Perhaps Pegasi possessed a preference for seclusion; after all, timid Fluttershy lived right next to the Everfree Forest. She decided this required farther study to be conducted at a later time.

_It couldn't hurt to take a look inside…_ Twilight thought.

She glanced over the plains again. The blank white sky drained the lush green surroundings of their usual vibrancy. Dark clouds billowed over the distant forest. She scanned the air, but spotted no Pegasi, rainbow haired or otherwise.

A purple glow covered the unicorn's horn as she called upon an old spell. Despite only using it on one occasion, the act remained as simple as the first time. The aura spread from her horn down to her hooves covering her body with an imitation of a Pegasus' natural magic. With the cloud-walking spell cast, she refocused her energies. The air around her popped and her body lurched through some space between spaces for an instant before her hooves found footing on yielding, but solid cloud. Rainbow Dash's home towered over her, seeming much bigger from the yard, than the distant view afforded by the ground.

Twilight reached for the doorknob with her magic. It rattled when she tried turning it, locked tight. She nodded, unsurprised, and simply teleported inside. The large hallway felt strange to stand in. The walls looked like slabs of white marble, though Twilight knew they'd been constructed out of specially formed clouds. She realized this was her first time in Rainbow's home. Shame filled her as she trotted through the dark room. She pushed the feeling aside, reminding herself why she needed to do this. _It's for Rainbow's own good and the good of all Ponyville!_

Beams of dull sunlight streamed in through the windows, breaking up the patches of shadow that claimed the rest of the room. Twilight lit the tip of her horn, shining its glow over the shelves and furniture. Despite the ornate pillars and pools of vibrant rainbow outside, the inside of the house was surprisingly bare, or perhaps the stark white walls and the size of the home made it feel unfurnished. Posters of the Wonderbolts covered several walls, with smaller memorabilia on shelves and counters. The first room off the entrance hall seemed to be a shrine to the blue Pegasus' heroes, posters hiding the walls along with mugs, flags, action figures, hats, t-shirts, and even ticket stubs from past air shows kept together in a small glass frame.

Twilight shook her head at the display room. She wasn't too surprised at the enthusiasm Dash displayed for her heroes. Seeing the lovingly arranged display comforted her a bit, it reminded her of just who her friend was, a loyal, sometimes lazy, sometimes hardworking pony with high hopes for the future. Nothing indicated a dark, secretive killer lurked these shadowy halls planning her next kill. It didn't clear Rainbow's name, but Twilight still considered the lack of evidence a blessing as she moved along.

She found a sparse kitchen; bags of junk food laid on the countertop. Wonderbolts magnets covered the refrigerator door; inside of which she found lots of energy drinks and instant meals. Rainbow didn't indulge her palate. The single chair at the table faced a calendar hanging on the wall. Twilight examined the dates, finding Rainbow had scribbled crude weather symbols into several slots. She raised an eyebrow at how many arrows traced from rainy days to later dates. Rainbow Dash apparently rescheduled bad weather, combining several small storms into one big one. Twilight guessed she used the extra, clear days to practice her tricks and considered the large storms worth the trade-off. Thinking about it now, Ponyville got a lot more sunny days than Canterlot did, but the rains were worse.

Twilight left the kitchen, pondering Rainbow's weather schedule. If she studied up on storms and agriculture, maybe she could help Dash make her weather plans more efficient. Smiling, she looked up, finding herself in the master bedroom.

Her face flushed with shame as she took in Rainbow Dash's most private space. No posters of the ace flying team covered the walls in here. The cool blue-purple colors of the décor proved calming to the eye. A cloud bed sat in the middle of the room, a purple blanket decorated with a wispy blue circle turning into a red and yellow lightning bolt lay over it. A picture frame sat on the nightstand. As she stepped closer, a young Rainbow Dash with messy hair, standing on the shoulders of an adult stallion came into focus. The pair smiled at the camera. The stallion's bright rainbow hair gave Twilight a pretty good idea of his identity. The unicorn glanced around, but found no more photos; she wondered why Dash didn't display one of her mother.

Turning to leave, her eyes fell on the bookshelf in the far corner. Excitement filled the purple pony's chest. She trotted over and knelt down to read the book spines.

Daring Do books crowded the shelves. Rainbow Dash had collected almost the entire series and a large number of the comic book issues now. Twilight pulled one of the plastic bound books free and examined the cover, the Pegasus adventurer stood back to back with a cherry red unicorn mare. A shadowy ancient temple formed the background with torches lighting the scene, black figures loomed in the foreground, closing in on Daring Doo and her partner. She started pulling the comic out of its protective cover but stopped, remembering she'd already crossed a big line breaking into the house. The rest of the collection consisted of other action adventure stories, the kind of books Twilight called popcorn reading. Nice for killing an afternoon, but nothing you could learn anything from. A few nonfiction books on weather management and aerial performance took up the bottom shelf.

"Getting a little eggheaded, Dash?" Twilight chuckled to herself, surprised at the collection her friend had gathered in such a short amount of time. Rainbow must have turned some of her naptimes into reading times to get through all these books.

As Twilight considered forming a book club in Ponyville, the front door swung open and closed with a soft slam. The unicorn's ears shot up and her fur stood on end. The clouds conducted no hoof clops unlike hard wood floors, but she still thought she heard somepony approaching the bedroom.

Weighing her options, Twilight scanned the room, spotting a closet next to the bookshelf. Pulling the double doors open with telekinesis, she ducked inside with the clothing. The entrance snapped closed behind her. Twisting around, she tried pushing behind the Rarity Originals and Wonderbolt t-shirts hanging around her, but the cramped closet wouldn't let her hide within the clothes racks. She tried to quiet her breathing as her heart throbbed against her ribs.

Soft sobs reached her ears as somepony entered the bedroom. Twilight froze; shocked to hear Rainbow Dash, the bravest, toughest pony she knew, crying like a little filly. She forced her way to the door and peered through the slits. Her eyes caught sight of a blue body, splattered with red down the front before Rainbow drew the curtains closed and plunged everything into darkness.

A loud gasp escaped Twilight's lungs. She clapped a hoof over her mouth and waited for Rainbow to fling the closet open. Her ears tilted forward, listening, but the sobs had stopped, leaving total silence.

She considered teleporting, but the bright flash would shine through the edges of the door. Rainbow might then deduce her identity, since no other unicorn in Ponyville could cast teleportation spells.

The seconds dragged on, her heart pounding against her ribs. Running through her list of spells proved pointless as nothing her terrified mind recalled could help.

The door wobbled as hooves grabbed the knobs and flung them open. Rainbow's face appeared in the darkness, mouth pulled back into a snarl, her eyes a deep glowing crimson, blood stained her muzzle and throat. Fangs gleamed in her open maw. Twilight Sparkle screamed and tried to retreat back into the closet to no avail, pulling clothing from the hooks.

The red glow faded from Dash's eyes and her bloodthirsty expression morphed into bewilderment. "Twi?"

Seeing an opening, the panicked unicorn rushed Rainbow Dash, knocking her on her back. Twilight clambered over the sprawled body and charged towards the front door. Rainbow recovered fast and lashed out with a leg, knocking Twilight's rear legs out from under her. Unbalanced, she crashed to the soft floor. With a flash of light; Twilight teleported onto her feet and galloped into the hallway.

"Wait!" Rainbow Dash shouted after her. Twilight ignored her, so the Pegasus opened her wings and zipped into the air. She whooshed over Twilight's head and landed in front of the door, spreading her wings and front legs to block the unicorn's only escape. "Twilight, I can explain!"

The lavender pony backpedaled to a stop and stared at the bloody fur on Rainbow's neck. Her words came out between panicked gasps. "Explain what? What's going on here?"

"I-, Um-,"

Twilight's expression became a glare and she lowered her head, as if preparing to charge. A violet glow spilled from her horn, hurting Dash's light sensitive eyes. "Answer me, or get out of the way!"

"You can't leave!" Rainbow exclaimed, stomping her front hooves against the soft floor.

Her sudden outburst startled Twilight Sparkle and the unicorn reflexively unleashed a burst of concussive magic. Dash yelped as the blast launched her backwards, through her own front door, and into the cold afternoon air. She opened her wings, catching the wind to bleed off her momentum. Slowing to a hover, she took stock of the damage, finding no real injuries, save a few singed patch of chest fur already growing back in. Her pupils narrowed to slits and her eyes blazed red as she rocketed back towards her house.

The unicorn stood on her lawn. Looking for a way down, Rainbow assumed. She increased her speed, building up a transparent cone around her body.

"Are you okay?" Twilight shouted at the incoming blur. A moment later, she realized the Pegasus wasn't slowing down. Her eyes widened and she leapt aside, covering her head with her forelegs. She waited for a few seconds, but when nopony slammed into the cloud bank at Mach 5 and released an explosion of refracted light and wind, Twilight raised her head and glanced at the sky.

Rainbow hovered above the edge of the cloud foundation. She floated in an upright position, her wings beating powerfully with her front hooves clenched and shaking against her sides. Even without the deep red eyes, her glowering face called to mind an enraged animal.

"No! No, I'm not okay!" she exclaimed, throwing her forelegs over her head. "I'm losing my mind here, Twilight! First, I think I've killed Derpy, than, oh, turns out she's fine, but the sun burns me to a crisp, then I turn Fluttershy into a monster, terrorize Applejack and Big Mac- and- and-."

Dash lowered her head and sniffled, trying to hold in her sobs. Breaking down in front of Twilight and showing her just how weak and pathetic she'd become was just the cherry on top of her perfect day. No doubt her friend would try locking her up now, just like Applejack had.

"What?" Twilight exclaimed, rage and disgust building in the pit of her stomach. "You mean everything Applejack told me is true?"

"No!" Rainbow shouted back without forethought. "I- I mean… What did she tell you?"

"You murdered Big MacIntosh," Twilight said.

"No," Rainbow choked out. "It wasn't my fault!"

Twilight's gaze lowered a few inches from Rainbow's face to her blood-soaked throat. The Pegasus followed her gaze and her stomach growled at the sight.

"Right…" Twilight said slowly, not wanting to set her friend off, but at the same time unable to control her sarcasm and anger. "How about you try explaining things to me? Slower this time."

Rainbow Dash's growing hunger drew her eyes to Twilight's neck. Her temper flared and she prepared to dive at the irritating know-it-all. Just like Applejack, she thought she understood everything. Well, she'd show Twilight the price of messing with her. Dash froze, missed a wing beat and fell an inch before her flapping resumed.

_How could I even think that?_ Rainbow thought. _Not cool. I need to scare Twilight off and make sure none of my friends ever come near me again. They can't end up like Fluttershy or AJ. Here goes…_

"You want 'slow'?" Rainbow Dash whispered. _I _**can't **_hurt a friend again. No matter what. _She swallowed her self-pity and dived at the purple unicorn. "I don't take anything slow!"

Twilight teleported to the other end of the yard before Rainbow's hooves reached her. She slammed into the ground, kicking up small puffs of cloud.

Rainbow blinked and ground her teeth together as she tried taking on her vampire appearance. A deep inhale of the blood coating her front helped as she felt her fangs extending. She smirked at Twilight, showing off the pair of sharp needles in her mouth.

"What's wrong with you? What are you doing?" Twilight exclaimed, horrified at the change in her friend.

"Duh, I'm trying to eat you," Rainbow said, dropping into a crouch. She waited just long enough for Twilight to prepare to dodge, before launching herself forward with a screech. "Wrrrryyyyy!"

Twilight teleported, reappearing in the spot Rainbow occupied a split second ago. Rainbow spun around and leered at her. Fighting off revulsion, she raised a leg and hesitantly licked the red coating from it. Pleasure danced across her tongue and the Pegasus felt lightheaded for a moment while the unicorn gasped in disgust, her face turning green under her coat.

"Go ahead and run, Twi. You're not fast enough, I'll catch you eventually."

She lunged again, slow enough for Twilight to dodge aside. A purple hoof flew towards Rainbow's face, but a quick push from her wings carried her out of harm's way. The blow missed the agile pony by miles. Her horn glowed, firing another ball of destructive magic, but Rainbow twirled out of the way, gaining some distance from Twilight. Frustration turned the unicorn's face a brighter shade of violet as she gritted her teeth and fired off several rapid blasts. Dash gasped and ducked under the first projectile, the second clipped a wing, tripping her up so the rest struck her. The blue pony vanished under the hail of magic fire, explosions riddling the sky with smoke.

Twilight yelped in surprise. She hadn't meant to be so brutal. The dark cloud faded, revealing empty sky. "No, no, no, no, no. Rainbow!"

The smoke twisted into a funnel, swirling and compacting into a small pony-shape. The black mass morphed into a blue, furry body. As her head reformed, Dash grinned at Twilight, even though no part of her enjoyed this. "See? Running's your only choice."

Twilight stared at the pony before her, stunned to see her completely unfazed. She blinked and her eyes widened. She sat down and closed her eyes. "I can't outrun you and I don't want to fight with you. So do what you have to. I won't fight anymore."

Rainbow stumbled in surprise. She reasserted her scary smirk and flew closer to the defenseless pony. She hissed, trying to sound sinister, but Twilight ignored her weak raspberry. Growing annoyed and a little worried, the Pegasus dived forward and snapped her jaws shut just inches away from Twilight's nose. Instead of flinching away, the unicorn leaned forward, touching Dash's forehead with her horn.

White light blinded her. Memories flooded her mind, images of her and Applejack running through the autumn leaves from the perspective of another racer, her working together with Big Mac to run the cider press while the observer looked over the proceedings, the sight of herself tearing up when they finally convinced AJ to come back to Ponyville. Her heart soared as she seemed to relive each moment, some good, some bad, but none terrible, then she saw Applejack sitting on a hospital bed, staring out the window, blank faced with a bandage on her neck. The earth pony spun around to look at her a terrified expression on her face. The happy feeling vanished.

"No!" Rainbow Dash screamed, scrambling backwards and breaking the connection. A cascade of hot tears poured from her eyes. The vision wouldn't leave her head, no matter how hard she tried to forget. It'd stayed in her memories forever. She turned away to hide her face. "Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to see your reaction," Twilight replied. Her voice sounded hollow, instead of enraged. "You've broken Applejack's spirit, Rainbow."

"Go away!" she whirled to face Twilight, crying uncontrollably now. "Just leave me alone. It's not safe to be around me."

"I knew it! You were trying to scare me away," Twilight said her tone accusatory. "You were moving way too slow and telegraphing your every move."

She stepped closer to Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus flinched away, but Twilight Sparkle placed a hoof on her cheek and forced her to meet her gaze. Rainbow's eyes still burned bright red, but the wet trails falling from them made the blue pony look anything, but monstrous. Her sobbing abated as she stared back into the unicorn's purple eyes.

"I'm not leaving until I know what's wrong," she said. "Clearly you regret killing Big Mac and… whatever you think you did to Fluttershy and Derpy. Why are you so afraid of hurting me?"

"Because I'm hungry," Rainbow whimpered. "I need blood and the longer I go without drinking it, the more likely I'll lose my cool and kill somepony. Just like Big Mac."

"Oh," Twilight lowered her hoof and stepped back. Sorrow threatened to overwhelm Dash again when she saw her friend's frightened face. "You need to explain everything to me, right now. I can fix this. I'm sure there's something we can do, or if not us, Princess Celestia must know something."

"Do you really think you can do something?" Dash asked, her eyes morphing back to pink as hope filled her heart. A slight smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, while tears of a different sort welled up in her eyes.

"You're talking to Celestia's personal student," Twilight smiled. "I'm sure I can figure something out."

* * *

><p>Purple Haze sauntered through the streets of Ponyville. He'd stopped at a forest stream to wash the copious amounts of Pegasus blood from his face. Afterward, he trekked back into town. He needed to explore his new surroundings and reacclimate to society.<p>

No town existed here when he last lived; the Everfree Forest kept most ponies away, which was why he built his manor within its dark folds. He quite liked the simple cottage buildings, they were quaint and a nice change from old castles and fancy ballrooms. He should've spent more of his eternity in the countryside instead of skulking in towers and amongst high society.

He spied a tailor's shop and paused. Time might have rendered his current outfit outdated and the black cape effect was more for camouflage when stalking his prey anyway. The clothing only survived the ravages of time due to several spells woven into the fabric; time and moths had eaten the rest of his wardrobe. After his disappointing talk with Rainbow Dash, he decided a little self-pampering was in order.

As he stepped onto the shop's welcome mat, the door swung open and a magically-suspended shopping bag floated out. The unicorn carrying the bundle couldn't see around it and walked straight into the surprised vampire. The crash flung the shopping bag into the air, brightly colored rolls of fabric flying from them. The impact knocked the pony onto her rear, while Purple Haze hardly budged. His horn glowed and a massive telekinetic bubble caught the falling items.

"You should be more caref-," he started pulling the fabric back into its container, when he glanced down at the mortal foolish enough to crash into him. Her bright blue eyes captured his attention first, and then he noticed her lavishly curled purple mane and nigh spotless white coat. She rubbed a hoof against her forehead, looking quite dazed, delicate, and appealing to the eye.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," she squeaked, standing up and using a minor telekinetic spell to brush some dust off her coat, before using the same spell to pad down Haze's tuxedo. She looked at the unicorn and gasped at the sight of him, a tint of red creeping into her cheeks. "Um-, that is-,"

"It's quite all right," Purple Haze interrupted. "I'm perfectly fine. More importantly, are you all right? I would hate to have harmed a female, even accidentally. Especially someone as beautiful as yourself."

"Oh, thank you," she giggled. "I mean, I'm fine."

"My name is Purple Haze," he said, offering her bag back. The dark purple aura turned light blue as she accepted it.

"I'm Rarity."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Rarity."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Just posting this to let people know I'm still alive and this fic isn't dead yet, though in a rather tentative state.<p>

Dash's Note: Oh, great. Here we go again.


End file.
